Friends: Just Breathe
by GuardianZoe
Summary: College Mondler AU. The gang are all in college. Chandler is in love with Monica. His nerves seem to constantly be getting in the way and so Monica makes it her aim to help him break out of his anxieties. Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to the tv series Friends. ON HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1: His Love

His eyes lingered on her admiring the way her fingers tucked her hair behind her ear, the way she chewed on her bottom lip and tapped her pencil on her notepad as she concentrated on reading her work. His own lips curled into a smile when she looked up at him with a furrowed brow.

"Were you watching me working?" she asked.

"No."

"I think you were, Chandler," she smirked and narrowed her eyes.

Chandler rolled his eyes and sat upright in his desk chair. She was laying on his bed on her stomach with her legs in the air. It made him feel warm inside to know that she was comfortable enough with him to lay on his bed. She was in his University room and she had chosen to sit on his bed rather than her brothers. This was something she did every time she came over.

"Can I grab a Diet Coke?" she asked, leaning over his bed to reach for his mini fridge. He nodded and she took two and passed him one. "What you working on?"

"Oh… uh, just stuff for my practical writing class."

"Can I have a read?" she asked, sitting up on the bed and stretching her arm over his shoulder. Chandler was quick to move the paper away from her. "Oh, come on, Chandler. I'm sure you aren't that bad," she teased "Don't make me come over there and kick your ass."

He shrugged her arm away but instead of accepting that he didn't want her to see it and leaving him alone, she jumped off the bed and tackled him out of his chair. Once he was on the floor and vulnerable, she climbed on top of him sitting on his stomach to keep him pinned down.

"That's right, I'm stronger than I look," she grinned as she snatched the paper from his fist, "Hey," she skimmed the words, "these are song lyrics. You don't write songs in your class, you write stories. You lied!"

"Well, it's embarrassing," he grimaced.

Monica ignored him and read the lyrics through properly this time.

"These are good," she commented, "Who is it about?"

"What?" he choked.

"Who is it about? It's obviously about a girl."

"What makes you think that?"

"Hmm," she got off him and sat back down on the bed, "oh, I honestly don't know. It's not like the lyrics make it blatantly obvious or anything," she said, sarcasm engulfing her voice. "The way you describe her makes you sound like you're desperately in love with her."

"I'm just desperate," he quipped.

"Tell me who it is."

"It's no one. It's just a song. The girl doesn't exist." he felt his cheeks growing hot.

"Like I believe that."

"Monica. No."

"Chandler, yes," she dragged the last syllable of his name out, "please," she pouted.

"No," he laughed, "You are not getting me this way," he said and grabbed the paper from her hand, "Get back to work."

"Hey, you're my friend, you can trust me."

"I'm your friend?"

"Duh, I spend almost every day in this room, you think I'd do that if you and I weren't friends?"

Chandler scratched the back of his neck, "I just thought you came here to see Ross all the time."

"Please," she scoffed, "I can go a long time without seeing my brother and be perfectly fine. I come here all the time to see you. Ross is hardly ever here."

They shared a smile.

"I'm still not telling you."

"Dammit!"

/week later/

Chandler had asked Ross if he could tell him something a good ten minutes ago and now he sat opposite him with a scared look on his face. He had thought he'd gained enough courage to confess to his friend but now that he was face-to-face with him, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Chandler?"

Chandler rubbed his sweaty hands over his jeans and gulped.

"I thought you wanted to tell me something."

"I do. It's just harder than I thought. Now I see why they confess the way they do in church."

Ross laughed, "Come on, it can't be that bad. What are you in love with me or something?"

"Not you," Chandler blurted out.

Ross' laugh stopped and he narrowed his eyes at Chandler. "What?"

Chandler's eyes widened and he leaned back in his seat away from Ross for fear of him striking out when he realised.

"What you're in love with someone? Who? Why did you need to tell _me_ this?"

"Well-"

"Oh my God, is it Rachel? You're in love with Rachel!" exclaimed Ross, standing up.

"What? No!"

Chandler's panicked eyes looked around the room for an escape route. The only option was the door; if he jumped out of the window it would kill him, though that sounded less painful to him than having to face 'Red Ross'.

"Then who?"

Chandler sank in his chair as Ross' eyes widened and he moved closer to him, towering over him.

"Monica? My sister?!"

When Chandler didn't respond, Ross knew he was right.

"My sister? You're in love with my sister! That's crazy."

Chandler shook his head, "It's really not. I've liked her for a while and now my feelings have gotten a bit… well… stronger."

"My sister?"

Chandler nodded and Ross sat back down opposite him.

"My sister." he repeated.

The room fell silent and Chandler watched Ross, warily.

"I guess she couldn't find a better guy than my best friend, huh?" Ross broke the intense silence.

Chandler's eyes widened and his jaw dropped slightly.

"Go for it, Chandler. Ask her out if you want. But I swear, if you hurt her, I'll kick your ass."

Chandler stifled his laugh knowing that if he laughed in that moment Ross would take back everything he had said about Monica.

"I should ask her out?"

"Well, yeah, if you really do love her like you say you do."

/month later/

"It's that simple?"

"Yes, it's that simple. Now, come on!"

Chandler was shoved by Ross towards her. She was surrounded by her friends and he felt sick to his stomach at the idea of walking up to her. He looked her up and down from her round sunglasses, leather jacket and burgundy tank top to her high-waisted jeans and black boots. She wouldn't fancy him in a million years.

"Go!" Ross urged him with a whisper and another shove. He tripped over his own feet and crashed into her back.

He heard her shriek and watched her wobble into the side of her friend. "Chandler?" she asked and narrowed her eyes, "What are you doing?"

"Sorry!" he exclaimed and held out his hands to help her regain her balance but lowered them quickly as her friend helped her instead.

"What's wrong?" she said and grabbed the bottle of beer he was holding before he could drop it. "Are you drunk?"

"What? No! I just – uhm – I just –"

"What's up?" she smirked and he watched her tongue play with the cocktail stick she held between her teeth. She placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head. Chandler grew hotter and hotter at the feeling of her friends' eyes piercing through him.

"Can I talk to you? Like... alone?"

She looked from him to her friends then back to him and nodded. She walked past him and stood in the corner of the yard where he would normally stop to smoke. Smoking didn't sound like that bad of an idea to him at that moment in time so he pulled out his box of cigarettes and slipped one into his mouth, lighting it. Monica leaned back against the wall and removed her sunglasses to shoot him a glare.

"Sorry," he muttered and she rolled her eyes.

"Nice party," she commented choosing to ignore the smoke he blew into her face. "I didn't know your mom's place was so big."

He shrugged and took another drag of his cigarette.

"My mom's extravagant, what can I say."

"What did you want to say?"

Now it was her turn to eye him up and down and he suddenly felt self-conscious in his cardigan.

She raised an eyebrow when he didn't respond.

"Oh," he started "Well... okay, Ross sort of, well, forced me into this."

"Into talking to me? You talk to me all the time."

"Not about this sort of stuff," he puffed on his cigarette again, "look, I know we, you know, are very different people. Like you're... well, you know, and I'm me-"

"Chandler, honey, where are you going with this?" she grinned, "because I really have a party to get back to."

He rubbed his nape, "I wanted to ask you on a date," he ﬁnally said.

He watched as she stood up straight from the wall and took a step closer to him. She reached up and moved his arm down from where he was still rubbing at his neck but just as quickly dropped it. The feeling of anxiety dropped a level when he saw a sincere look in her eyes.

"You really get nervous, huh?"

He shrugged. His body stiffened as she took the cigarette from his mouth and held it in front of his face.

"I'll go on a date with you under one condition,"

He nodded.

"You stop smoking."

His shoulders dropped and he looked her dead in the eyes.

"I thought Monica Geller was a badass. Smoking is badass."

She stiﬂed a laugh and ﬂicked the cigarette to the side, "Monica Geller is a badass and don't you forget it," she winked, "but she's a badass who doesn't want lung cancer and doesn't want anyone she dates to get it either. Understand?"

Chandler's breathing shallowed when he realised how close she had gotten to him. He slowly nodded and she stepped back with a smug smile.

"So?" she said.

"So, what?"

She raised her eyebrows waiting for him to realise.

"Oh! Monica, will you go on a date with me?"

She bit her lip and looked him over once more, "Go on then," she smiled.

"So, we have a date?" He asked wanting confirmation.

She reached out and played with one of his cardigan buttons and nodded, "I guess we do. Now, I'm going to get back to that party," she patted him on the chest and strutted away.

He turned and watched her hips sway as she walked back up to her friends. He swallowed and moved to stand back with his friend by the drinks.

"So, how did it go? Oh God, my little sister didn't embarrass you too much, did she?"

"Ross, your little sister actually just agreed to go on a date with me" said Chandler smugly and grabbed a beer.

"Seriously? She actually said yes? Well, good luck hitting that," laughed Ross, gaining a dirty look from Chandler and a 'dude, that's your sister'. "I've had a lot of beers, I don't know!" Ross shrugged and gulped down another bottle.

"Yeah, maybe my mother shouldn't have said it was okay for a bunch of 19 and 20-year-olds to invade her drinks cabinet."

"You can tell her the Scotch is to-die-for," said Monica who had appeared out of nowhere and was leaning in front of Chandler to grab the bottle of Scotch. "Know how I like it?" she wiggled the bottle and her empty glass at him.

"On the rocks with a twist. I know you better than you think," he smiled shyly and took the items, making her drink.

"Good," was all Monica said as she took the drink from his hands making sure to run her ﬁngers over his before she walked back up to her friends.

"Hey, if Monica said yes to me maybe Rachel will say yes to you?" Chandler gestured to the brunette who he had made Monica fall into earlier.

"I doubt it, she wouldn't go for me," scoffed Ross. "I'd have better luck with Phoebe. I heard she puts out easy."

"Dude."

"Seriously, I've had too much to drink" said Ross and tried to focus his eyes on the bottle he was holding.

Chandler rolled his eyes before looking at Monica and watching as she laughed with her friends. Happiness flowed through him like oxygen through his veins and he mentally jumped up and down with glee.


	2. Chapter 2: Her Smile

A/N:

CamilleCM – College Mondler really is quite difficult to write, I agree, but I'm going to give it a whirl and pray it turns out okay. Thank you for believing I'm up to the challenge, it's much appreciated :).

larisaanadeeljin – Aha, yeah, Ross had consumed a lot of alcohol in that moment. I tried to play on how Ross always says the wrong thing and takes things too far – something I need to work on. Thanks for reviewing!

waynoway – Thank you :) btw I love your username.

Boris Yeltsin – Thank you for reviewing!

Guest – I have a lot planned for this story so there will be more chapters in the future.

Mondler2017 – Thank you! I'm a sucker for college Mondler too – there'll definitely be more chapters, don't you worry.

Please continue to let me know your thoughts on this story.

If you have any suggestions for other stories that you want me to write then feel free to leave a review with the idea or private message me.

* * *

/2 weeks later – April 7 – thursday/

Chandler marched as quietly as he could through the College library trying to ﬁnd them, turning several corners before he saw the brunette and blonde sitting by a window drinking coffee and reading the same book. He made his way to them with a bomb of nerves ticking away in his stomach.

"Uhm," he practically whispered. They clearly hadn't heard him or were deliberately ignoring him because neither looked up. "Rachel... Phoebe?" he stuttered.

The two girls looked up, Rachel quickly closing the book to disguise the fact they had actually been reading a magazine, and the blonde smiled mischievously at him.

"Well, hello there," she said in a low voice.

"Phoebe, it's just Chandler. Don't ﬂirt with him."

'Just Chandler', that was a phrase people seemed to love when referring to him and it was one he'd simply grown accustom to.

Chandler plucked up the courage to move further to their table and asked if he could sit down. Rachel looked hesitant and examined who was around before letting him sit.

"What do you want?" said Rachel in a harsh whisper.

Chandler swallowed the lump in his throat and mumbled something incoherent.

"What?"

"Oh, I think he's shy," said Phoebe pointing at him and nodding, knowingly.

"Shy? People are still shy these days?" scoffed Rachel. "Come on, Chandler, speak up."

He rubbed his sweaty hands on his jeans legs and sighed, "I need some advice."

Rachel and Phoebe raised their eyebrows.

"About what to do as a date with Monica," he added.

"Oh, you two are actually going through with that?" asked Rachel and Chandler couldn't help but take offence at her tone. "Look, I'm just saying, you two are very different. I mean, come on, she's Monica and you're just some goofy kid from down the road with God-knows how many personal issues."

"Monica seems to like that," said Phoebe with a shrug and sipped her coffee. Rachel shot her a look. "I'm just saying, Monica said yes to going on a date with him, we may as well help him out."

Rachel turned to look at Chandler and narrowed her eyes, "Fine," Chandler smiled and sat up straight, "but I thought you two were friends, don't you know stuff about her?"

"I do, I just want to make sure it's perfect that's all."

"Fine, but this does _not_ mean we are friends," added Rachel with a point of her ﬁnger.

"Hey! I invited you to my party the other night."

"And? Doesn't mean we're friends. It was a party, you only invited us because we're friend with Monica. She was adamant about going sand we weren't going to let her go alone - plus, you know, booze."

Chandler just nodded. Phoebe pulled out a notebook and pen and wrote 'Operation Monica' at the top of the page.

"Okay," Rachel started, "We've obviously got to think of stuff she likes-"

"Ooh, cleaning!" said Phoebe loudly gaining disapproving looks from others around.

"She's not going to want to clean on a ﬁrst date."

"Have you met Monica? She'd _love_ that!"

Rachel shook her head and began listing things, "Okay, let's see, she likes anything competitive. So, maybe bowling? Ooh, or uh, the arcades!"

Phoebe nodded as she made notes and Chandler watched.

"Though, she does like romantic stuff too. So, a romantic meal at a restaurant and it has to be expensive-"

"I think he has the money for that," added Phoebe, winking and blowing Chandler a kiss.

"She doesn't like Roses so no Roses. Oh! She does like just sitting in and watching movies though. That could be fun, maybe a little blanket thrown over the ﬂoor, some candles – she can't get enough of candles – some music later in the evening-"

"Her favourite song is _The Way You Look Tonight_ but Tony Bennett's version. Rachel, your mom has that on vinyl, right? Chandler can borrow that," said Phoebe.

Rachel gave a reluctant nod.

They continued to list ideas, coming to the conclusion that the first date should be simple and relaxed and that he should save anything competitive or expensive for if he was lucky enough to gain a second date.

"I think the movie night idea sounds good," said Chandler.

"One question, Chandler" said Rachel, "Do you really think this will work out?"

His hands suddenly started sweating again and he bit away at the inside of his mouth. "I… I hope so."

"Why do you like her?"

"I just do."

"Yes, but_ why_?" said Phoebe leaning over the table.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't realise I was being interrogated by Holmes and Watson," he suddenly defended.

Rachel and Phoebe both raised their eyebrows, making him gulp. Once he looked down, they shared a confused look with Rachel mouthing "Holmes?"

"Look I... I've liked her for a long time," he began, "she's – she's gorgeous and I, well, I never thought I'd be good enough for her because I'm so... awkward... but, she actually said yes – I'm just as shocked as you are."

Phoebe held her hand to her chest and gave him a pitied smile while Rachel picked up her book and stood up.

"Maybe you're still a little too awkward for her. Better speed your talking up a little Mr. Chatty and quit the stammering," she said bitterly and walked away.

"Ignore her," said Phoebe "she's just mad because she's not getting any," and with that she sipped her coffee.

/April 8 – Chandler's birthday – friday/

With a start, he woke up. The knocking at the door persisted. It wasn't loud but it was enough to break him out of his peaceful slumber and into an annoyed state of being. Ross too had woken up but simply turned onto his side and put his pillow over his head.

The knocking continued, irritating him further. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants over his boxers and ran his hands over his face and through his hair. Opening the door with a bitter "What?" granted him a disapproving look from her.

"Oh, Monica, hi," the tone of his voice pitched higher and he moved to the side, letting her in.

"You're not a very pleasant morning person are you," she teased then looked to her brother who began to snore, "nice to see you too, bro."

"What are you doing here so early?" he scratched his head, yawned and stretched.

"It's not early, it's 8 am. I get up at 5.30."

He scrunched his nose, imaging how awful he would find it waking up so early.

"Anyway, here," she held out a glittery bag, "Happy birthday, Chandler!"

"For me?" he asked and she pursed her lips.

"No, no, I always greet people with birthday wishes, it's my form of 'hello'," she quipped, "of course it's for you!" she wiggled the bag at him.

He smiled and took it, sitting on his bed as she stood and watched him unwrap the gift. It was a photo frame with a photo of himself, Monica, Ross and her father in.

"It's from last Thanksgiving when you came to our house. I know you don't really like Thanksgiving but I thought it was a cute photo," she smiled, "there's another thing in there too."

He stood the frame on his bedside table and reached into the bag. He pulled out dark blue tie and she spoke again, "I thought you could wear it to that interview you have next month. You told me you didn't really have anything to wear for it so I figured I could help you out a little."

She bit slightly at her thumb nails as she watched him look over each gift once more. Then he stood up and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you," he smiled at her, "I love them."

She bit her bottom lip slightly, watching him adjust the new photo frame.

"Though, I don't know how to tie a tie."

"I can show you," her voice was lower as she took a step closer to him, "I'll come another time," she nodded towards Ross, "when my brother isn't howling like a hog in the corner."

They laughed and she hugged him, squeezing him tighter than normal and drawing out the hug.

"Don't be late for your 9am lecture," she warningly pointed at him and exited the room, slamming the door loud enough for Ross to wake with a start and roll out of bed onto the floor.

/later that day/

Ross was out with a girl, so Chandler was left in his dorm room alone. His friend, Joey, was busy with his Drama work so told him he would see him the next day to celebrate his birthday and so Chandler really was completely alone.

He'd just ended a phone call with his mother and opened his presents from her which had been posted to him. He'd thrown his card from his father to the floor along with the card from his aunt and uncle of which he hadn't seen in several years. A beer sat on his desk beside the new tie Monica had bought him. He stroked his hand over it, smiling as he pictured her face in his mind. She had looked so happy when he had thanked her for buying it. In fact, she'd looked a considerable amount happier these days. Chandler couldn't help but think that it was since he had asked her on a date. They hadn't actually been on this date yet but they had shared more moments together where it was just them and grown a lot closer. They were a little more touchy-feely with one another, it still made him nervous to be close to her but she didn't seem to have a problem with being close to him.

He sipped his beer, keeping his eyes on the tie as a pleasant distraction from the paperwork he had to do. That's when he heard a knock at the door. His brow furrowed wondering who it could be. Before he had the chance to get up to answer it, the door opened and his mood instantly lifted.

"Hey," smiled Monica, closing the door behind her, "sorry, are you working?"

"God, no," he laughed and waved her over.

She hopped onto his desk, holding the edge of it and swinging her legs, "Have you had a good birthday?" she asked.

"Not really, but it's better now you're here," he placed a hand on her knee and the smile she'd worn since she stepped into the room widened. He withdrew his hand as fast as he had placed it there though, for fear that the nerves he always felt around her may cause him to sweat and for her to be put off him touching her.

"Well, I wasn't going to let you spend your birthday alone so I came here as soon as my classes were done. I was there from 9am till 6, I mean that's just horrendous! Sure, I got breaks but come on."

He laughed as she continued to ramble about how unfair and exhausting all the work was she had to do. He enjoyed when he got to do this; just sit watching her talk about everything and nothing. Getting to watch the way her cheeks flushed, the way her lips moved and her tongue wetted them, how her hands animated everything she said and hair bounced around her shoulders with her expressive movements.

"You're staring again," she broke him out of his trance, "you like doing that, don't you," she looked down at him with a sparkle in her eyes and he felt his palms starting to sweat.

"I wasn't staring, I was-"

"Staring."

"No."

"Yes."

"No, no, I was admiring," he stunned himself by what he said but she laughed and shrugged.

"Same thing," she took his beer and sipped it, "wow, this is warm."

"Yeah, I've been teetering about whether or not to drink it all day, so it's warmed up a little. Couldn't decide if alcohol was the best way to get through this dreaded day or not."

"Why do you dread this day?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

"Oh, I just, well, it's a birthday, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I think that's what people call it," she laughed, "what's your point?"

"It's just a day to point out the fact I'm getting older. Don't really want to celebrate taking a step closer to death once a year. I don't have very good memories linked to my birthdays. And I always spend it alone."

"What am I, a mirage?"

"Well, I'm not alone this year," he rolled his eyes, light-heartedly, "thank you for coming by, by-the-way."

"It's what potential girlfriends are for."

The word 'girlfriend' made his heart skip for a second and he watched her jump from his desk and move out of his sight. She appeared at the other side of him and picked up his tie, "I said I'd show you how to do this thing, come on!"

She pulled him up by the sleeve of his t-shirt, "You're going to need a collar," she told him and moved to his wardrobe, pulling out a shirt and handing him it. He put it on and she popped its collar. She placed the tie around the collar and explained to him what she was doing as she overlapped and looped the material.

Rather than watching her hands, he watched her face, focusing on her incredibly black eyebrows as they creased together showing she was concentrating.

"You should be watching my hands, mister."

He snapped out of it and looked to her hands. They were so small to him. Her fingers were slim and delicate-looking, and moved with such ease as she formed the knot. He watched them flatten out the made tie. He felt them, like feathers fluttering, as she ran them down his chest.

"There," she beamed up at him.

She left her hands placed on his chest and he felt his breathing grow heavier. She was close enough to him for him to notice the light freckles that scattered her face and neck.

"Chandler," she ran her hands up his chest and rested them on his shoulders, "you're 'admiring' me again."

His eyes lifted from the freckles on her nose to her eyes. The blue in them sparkled in the street light that radiated through his window. He lowered his eyes to her lips that were apart, showing her teeth, her tongue showing slightly through the little gap as she smiled at him.

"I like to 'admire' too, you know?"

He took a deep breath and hummed in response.

"I like to 'admire' you when you think I'm not looking. Like when you're working at your desk and I'm on your bed procrastinating. Or when we're in the library, or at my house."

"Really?" he asked, gulping back his nerves.

"Mhm, I like to watch you bite your lip and bounce your leg up and down when you focus," that was something he didn't know he did, "and run your hands through your hair when you get frustrated and watching your hair fall back over your forehead, all dishevelled the way it does," she played with the back of his collar as she spoke, "and when you laugh at your own jokes and roll your eyes as Ross'. I watch you all the time."

"I… I, uh, didn't… didn't know."

She moved her eyes from his lips, where they had fallen when she had first started to speak about his lip biting, to his eyes and smiled. "Now you do. And hopefully now, this is a birthday you'll be thankful for."

"Oh, it is… uh, do you want to stay for a little while?"

She nodded and loosened his tie, "you better have remembered how to do this," she said and removed it from his neck. She pushed his shirt over his shoulders after he'd unbuttoned the few buttons that were done up and placed it back on its hanger for him. Pulling back his covers, she got into his bed and he smiled to himself. He enjoyed how comfortable she was around him; how she just made herself at home in his room. This was his best birthday by far.


	3. Chapter 3: Their Date

Siggan09 – Thank you for the review!

Mondler2017 – I'm so glad you are enjoying it so far! I really appreciate your reviews, and the kind words. I've made Rachel a bit bitchy in this because, as we all know, she apparently wasn't that nice in High School so I continued that into College/University. Always feel free to pm me your story ideas, it would be a privilege to write them for you.

matteney – Thanks for reviewing. Monica's just putting on a front right now, her insecurities will be touched on at a later date in this story. I've made her character quite different in this. In this story she has changed her ways but she has reputation for being a bad girl. I want her to be the strong character that helps bring out the strength in Chandler. She's tough around him, not wanting him to see the full extent of who she is, but her walls come down when she's around her friends. You'll find out more on all of this later.

Now here's a nice long chapter for you.

* * *

Monica woke to a cluttering sound and sat up in her bed, her arms straightened out behind her in a stretch and she squinted at her wardrobe.

"Rachel?" she asked, rubbing her eyes and yawning, "What are you doing?"

"Looking for clothes."

"At," Monica looked at her clock, "6am on a Sunday? What's happened to you, you usually sleep till, like, noon on a Sunday?"

"Clothes, Monica. I'd do anything when it comes to these babies."

Monica was perplexed, "Why exactly are you looking for clothes in _my _closet?"

"Because I'm looking for clothes for you."

Monica leaned against her headboard and folded her arms, "Why? It's a Sunday, I'm not going anywhere."

"Oh, yes you are. You have a date."

"Chandler and I don't have our date until Friday evening-"

"I'm not talking about him," said Rachel happily and turned around, placing the outfit she had picked out onto Monica's bed.

"I'm sorry?" Monica leaned forward in shock and glared at her friend, "What have you done?"

"I've got you a date with this really hot guy, Matt, Monica you will _love _him. He's tall, dark hair, 21 and an engineer."

Rachel continued to brag about the man, infuriating Monica. She climbed out of bed and stood watching her friend line more clothes out on the bed. With her hands on her hips, she cleared her throat and Rachel turned to her.

"What made you think you had any right to do that?"

"Monica, he's really hot," Rachel stretched out her words, "I know you'll really like him. He's just right for you."

"I'm going on a date with Chandler."

"So? You can go on a date with two different guys. You have no commitments."

"That's not the point. The point is I want to go on a date with Chandler and Chandler only."

"But, Monica, he's so-"

"So what? Huh? What is your problem with him?" Monica raised her voice and Rachel watched as the vein in her forehead began to show.

"He's just so different to you. You're this bubbly outgoing person and he's this… well, this, weird guy who has no confidence, you know, nothing really going for him."

Monica's mouth opened slightly as though she was going to shout until she bit her lip and breathed in slowly, "I really couldn't care less what you think about Chandler. I like him and I think he could be the perfect guy for me. You have no right to judge someone you hardly know. If you like this Matt guy so much then why don't you go out with him!"

Rachel backed away from Monica when she returned to her bed, reaching under it for her face cream and flannel, before going into the en suite.

When Monica came back out of the en suite, Rachel was sat on the floor picking at a sequenced notebook.

"Great, you're controlling my life and making a mess of my floor," snarked Monica.

"Look, Mon, I'm sorry," said Rachel, standing up and watching Monica twist her face at her. She was clearly still angry with her, "I had no right to do what I did. You were right."

Rachel sat on Monica's bed and put down the notebook, "If you really like Chandler then I shouldn't stand in the way of that. I just want what's best for you."

"Rach," Monica joined her on the bed, "You can't go around doing stuff like that. I really like Chandler and I am so _unbelievably _happy when I'm with him."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. I think he's perfect for me and I think I can bring out the best in him and him with me."

Monica took Rachel's hands in hers, "Please, just accept that I like Chandler. I'm not saying you have to like him or anything, I just want you to respect how I feel about him. And to be civil around him."

Rachel nodded, "I'll cancel your date with Matt… he's really not that hot anyway."

They both laughed and Monica patted her friend on the back then climbed back into bed.

/the day of the date – friday/

"You're going on a date with who?" Chandler heard the man down the hall laugh.

"Chandler Bing," he heard Monica say simply and watched as she shut the classroom door behind her.

"Sorry – so, let me get this straight. You turned _me _down for _Chandler Bing_?"

"For the last time, yeah, Matt, that's what I said."

"Again, sorry, but have you lost your mind?" The boy laughed and prodded the side of her head and Monica smacked his hand away.

"First of all, don't touch me. Second of all, I'd have turned you down even if I wasn't already going on a date with Chandler."

"Oh really?"

"Yes. You're a jerk. I never wanted to go on a date with you, Rachel told you I did and I don't. And Chandler's my friend – if I hear you talking crap about him again… well, let's just hope I don't. Now step aside," she waved her hand for him to move and he did.

"Enjoy your date with freak-boy!" Chandler heard the boy shout after Monica to which she turned around and bashed her fists together; he presumed that was meant to mean something offensive.

He rubbed his knuckles against the back of his neck as he looked down at the ﬂoor, nervously.

"Don't do that."

He jumped at her quiet voice. Monica had moved quickly down the hallway to Chandler and put her books under her arm, using her now free hands to remove his hand from his neck.

"What?"

"Your little nervous tick-thing – you've got to stop it. Don't let him get to you like that. It wasn't even a good insult," she laughed.

"It's just… it's not just him, is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Rachel doesn't think you should date me either."

"It's none of Rachel's business who I date. Trust me, she knows that now."

He felt her squeeze his hand before letting go, removing her books from under her arm and clutching them to her chest.

"Now, don't you have a date planned for me?" she smiled at him and nudged his side.

"That I do. But, uhm, are you sure you want-"

"Don't even ﬁnish that sentence, Chandler."

She looped her arm with his and forced him to walk with her.

"We're going to have a fun night tonight. Okay? No thinking about College or the jerks that roam its halls. Just me and you," she smiled up at him and rubbed his arm reassuringly.

He nodded and smiled down at her, feeling somewhat at ease. But there was still something eating away at him in the very back of his mind. Why did she want to go on a date with him? She could go out with anyone so why him?

Once they made it to Chandler's mom's house, he told her to wait outside while he went in to check on something.

"Moira?" he called out.

"Mr. Chandler!" greeted the maid and rushed into the entrance hall carrying a sweeping brush.

"Is it all set up?"

"Yes, yes, it's all ready," she smiled.

"And my mom?"

"On a date. She said she wouldn't be back till at least midday tomorrow."

"Thank you so much, Moira," Chandler smiled.

"I'll head off," she said putting the sweeping brush to one side "Good luck, Mr. Chandler. I'll go out the back door."

Chandler thanked Moira and watched her leave before putting the sweeping brush into a storing cupboard. He let Monica in and watched as her eyes lit up and a smile decorated her lips.

"I don't think I've ever seen the inside of your house before. You only ever let us in your garden or your dorm room," said Monica as she examined the entrance hall with wide eyes "its huge... and this isn't even all of it."

"I would give you a house tour but I'm lazy. Plus, I think it's changed a lot since I moved out to the dorms so I probably wouldn't know what I was even showing you."

Monica smiled and he gestured for her to move onwards through the house. She scuffed her shoes on the welcome mat then walked down the hall.

"How come we're doing the date here and not at your place?"

"Because my place consists of one tiny room. I also didn't think you'd want to have our date in the same room as your brother."

He watched her stop as she reached the main sitting room. She stood perfectly still as she looked around. Blankets and cushions were placed neatly on the ﬂoor in front of the television. Candles were scattered on almost every surface and the normal lights were on low. A selection of VHSs trailed neatly over the side table by the couch and a box of chocolates and a bottle of red wine sat by their side with two wine glasses.

"Oh my god," was all Chandler heard Monica say before she covered her mouth with her hands. He placed his keys down on the side table and put his hands slowly into his pockets and scuffed the tip of his shoe along the floor nervously.

"Is it okay?" he asked cautiously

"Chandler... this is... gorgeous!" she grinned.

"Yeah?"

Monica nodded, enfolding him into a tight hug. She pulled away and he watched her pick up a VHS.

"Can we watch this one first?" she asked. He took the VHS from her hands and smiled at her choice.

"Singin' in the Rain? Really?"

"Hey! It was in _your_ selection," she defended and he laughed, shaking his head.

"Yeah, maybe I didn't contribute too much to the selection," he said and placed the VHS in the machine.

"Then who did?"

Chandler turned around silently to look at her with a guilty expression, "It may have been my mom's maid."

Monica laughed and rolled her eyes. She pulled off her leather jacket and kicked off her shoes then looked around with a furrowed brow.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Oh, I just, I don't want to just dump my jacket or shoes. Is there somewhere I can put them?"

"Uh, sure," he took them and ran to put them in the entrance hall. He took his own off and dumped them beside hers. When he came back Monica had sat down on the floor on the blanket; her feet stretched out in front of her and her hands behind her keeping her propped up.

He smiled to himself, picked up the chocolates, the wine and glasses and sat beside her.

She sighed and he looked at her. She looked content with her eyes closed and her head tilted back. It was like he was watching her sitting on the beach taking in the sun.

"Want some wine?"

She opened her eyes at his question and nodded.

He handed her the now full glass and she sipped it lightly. He pressed play on the movie and noticed her eyes fix straight onto the screen but his stayed on her, looking away sharply when she turned back to him. The back of his neck grew hot and he knew he was turning red.

"Could we order some pizza?" she asked.

He chanced a look at her and she was smiling at him with a glint in her eyes. With a quick call to the pizza shop from the kitchen phone he had ordered them pizza, with a special request from her for extra pepperoni, and walked back into the sitting room. She had her back to him so he took the opportunity to stand and compose himself. He was full of nerves and he didn't know how to shake it. He thought asking her on the date would be harder than the actual thing.

"Hey," her voice broke him from his thoughts, "come here" she ordered and he obliged, sitting beside her.

She placed a kiss on his cheek which caught his breath. Rubbing the red lipstick away that she'd left on his cheek she said, "Don't be nervous. I don't bite… well, not on the first date anyway," she added with a smirk.

Some time had passed since the first glass of wine and they now sat opposite one another, shovelling pizza into their mouths.

"Hold on – you have a third nipple?!" laughed Monica, covering her mouth so the food wouldn't fly out.

They had consumed a lot of alcohol within the few hours she had been there and he had confessed one of his most embarrassing secrets to her.

"Yeah, I call it my nubbin."

"Can I see it?"

"What?" he gulped.

"Oh, go on! Whip it out!"

When he didn't respond she got up onto her knees and reached over the pizza box to grab his shirt.

"Woah there, missy."

"Missy?" she laughed.

"Yeah. I'm not showing you my nubbin."

"Oh, go on."

"How do I know you won't laugh?"

"I've just been laughing after hearing about it so I guarantee I'll laugh more when I see it," she replied, honestly.

He narrowed his eyes at her and she backed away.

"Fine," she sighed, "can I use the bathroom?"

He nodded and told her where it was. She got up and when everything fell silent, he thought she had left. He'd realised he had been wrong when she jumped on him from behind and wrestled him onto his back. His head rested in her lap and she pulled at his shirt trying to undo its buttons. He swatter her hands away then grabbed them and looked into her eyes. "Don't even think about it," he warned, playfully.

Her fingertips were touching his chest through the gaps in his shirt and his breathing shallowed at the feeling. She moved her hands to cup his face. Her features were upside down to him but that didn't prevent him from being able to examine the cheeky sparkle in her eyes. He felt her thumbs stroking his cheeks and he closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of her lips press onto his forehead.

She patted him on the cheek and he sat up. She picked up a slice of pizza and offered it to him, placing her hand gently on his chin and he bit the pizza. He felt her eyes still on him as he chewed.

"What?"

Monica smiled, "It's just nice to see you relax. I saw how anxious you were earlier today. It's nice to relax, life's a lot easier when you do, isn't it?

He slowly nodded and she pressed the pizza to his lips once more.

"Another movie?" he asked with his mouth full.

"So relaxed you talk with food in your mouth?" she pursed her lips, "I'll let that one slide," she patted his thigh, "Another movie sounds great."

They talked some more as the next movie played and Chandler made mental notes after almost everything she said; like how she loved Christmas day and helping cook the food, how she wanted to go to a culinary fair in Connecticut or New Jersey, how she loved reading and watching the ballet. He listened to every little thing she said and found himself falling harder for her with every letter.

Hours later, the third movie of that evening had finished and the tv now held a black screen. Chandler and Monica were swaying together, their arms wrapped around each other, as _The Way You Look Tonight _played. Chandler felt himself growing hotter and beginning to shake as he prepared himself for what he was about to ask.

"Chandler?" asked a concerned Monica when he'd stopped moving. The blue in her eyes magnified by the candle light made him weak at the knees.

"Uhm… I was thinking. It's incredibly late. Would you… would you like to stay the night?"

Monica pushed herself away from him, with her hands on his chest, just enough so she could see his face clearly.

"Stay the night?"

"Yeah. Obviously, you know, like, to sleep. And you can take my old bed. I'm sure my mom has kept my room the same as before I moved out. I'll stay in my Mom's room."

Monica smiled and hugged him, "You don't have to sleep in your mom's bed. You can sleep in yours."

"Oh, so you won't stay?"

"No, I'll stay."

"But… if I go in my bed, where will you go?"

"In your bed."

A little while later, Chandler had finished brushing his teeth and was now washing his face. He threw the water over his neck and shoulders, the coolness of it easing his nerves. Once he reached his room, he opened the door and a small smile crept onto his lips when he saw Monica lying in the centre of his bed. She had fallen asleep before he could offer any change of clothes so she was still dressed in her jeans and white tank top.

He tiptoed up to the bed and fought a mental battle of whether he should lie in the bed with her or on the floor. She had told him she had wanted him to sleep in the same bed as her but he wondered if that was just the alcohol talking. They had only had one date, though he had known her for a long enough time for this to be something that was okay. Whenever he'd went around to her parents' house, they had always sat close by each other. She even occasionally touched his thigh or knee or rested her head on his shoulder as they watched the tv. She'd be okay with him lying next to her.

He grabbed a blanket from his desk chair and threw it over her before climbing under it with his back to her. He let himself hang over the edge of the bed slightly not wanting to invade her personal space too much. Then he felt the bed shift and her arm drape over his waist. His breathing hitched when she kissed his back and cuddle into him.

/next day/

"But seriously how did it go?"

"Joey, for the umpteenth time, it went fine," said an exasperated Chandler and plopped himself onto his bed.

For the past hour he had sat with his friend, Joey, in the College library trying to study but because Joey had been eating and shouting, they'd been kicked out. Now they were in Chandler and Ross' room and Joey was quizzing him about his date with Monica.

"Yeah, but you've wanted to date her for a long time now and you've finally done it!" cheered Joey with an excited grin and clenched fists.

"I know"

"Did you guys… you know?"

"What?" said Chandler and sat upright, "Joey, no! It was the first date, of course we didn't."

"I've done it before on the first date," Joey said with a shrug

"Joe, that doesn't surprise me, honestly," sighed Chandler and grabbed the baseball from his bedside table and lay down throwing the ball in the air and catching it.

"Did you kiss her at least?"

Chandler rolled his eyes, "No, Joe."

"Why not? That's like _the best part_ about a first date."

"The sex isn't the best part for you, then?"

Joey looked away from Chandler for a split second in thought before shaking his head, "That's not the point. I'm talking about you. It would have been the best part for _you_! Why didn't you kiss her?"

"It just didn't feel right?"

"Dude."

Chandler rolled his eyes once more and threw the baseball at Joey who caught it.

"I don't want to mess things up with her. It didn't feel right at that moment in time so I didn't do it. Okay?"

"We did sleep in the same bed though," added Chandler

Joey's eyes widened with excitement but Chandler warned him with a 'Joe'.

Joey nodded and threw the baseball up in the air. Instead of catching it he knocked it with his fingers and it landed on Chandler's bedside table with a heavy thud knocking over his glass of water and photo frame.

"Sorry."

/meanwhile/

"He didn't even kiss you?" said Rachel

"No," shrugged Monica, "but, I'm fine with that."

"Why?"

Monica put down the ribbon she had been playing with mindlessly and looked at Rachel who was sat on her bed with Phoebe. "He gets all nervous and I don't want to push him into anything that would make him uncomfortable and if that means not kissing on the first date then that's fine."

"So, you're sacrificing for him now?" said Rachel

"What? No, I'm not sacrificing. Not everyone kisses on the first date. Not everyone's like you Rachel."

"Ooh, that's true!" announced Phoebe, "Yeah, you've got to stop putting out on the first date too. People keep confusing me with you and saying I have sex on the first date."

"I do _not_ put out on the first date!" said Rachel offended

"Oh, please, I could list every guy you've ever slept with on the first date," scoffed Monica.

"Fine, go ahead – no, wait, I change my mind, don't!"

"Besides," began Monica, "I've only ever kissed one guy and I've not even slept with anyone yet. Everyone goes at their own pace."

Phoebe nodded in agreement but Rachel rolled her eyes and squeezed the pillow she had been holding, "Did you guys do _anything _interesting?"

"Well," said Monica and Phoebe and Rachel leaned forward in anticipation, "We slept in his bed together"

"Cuddling?" asked Rachel

"Yes"

"Oh! Thank God, you two did _something_!" exclaimed Rachel, dramatically flopping back on her bed.

/the next Friday night/

The atmosphere was overwhelming; with people dancing and bashing into each other and spilling their drinks. The three girls walked through the bouncing crowd until they made it safely to the bar, not a drop of alcohol on their outfits. Monica ordered their Cola drinks and turned around when she heard Phoebe shouting.

"Isn't that Chandler?"

Monica squinted her eyes to try and see more clearly what Phoebe was pointing at. She saw Chandler, Ross and three other men on the stage at the back of the bar.

"Oh my god," said Rachel covering her hand over her mouth, "It is! Monica, that's your boyfriend!"

"He's not my boyfriend," Monica rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"We're playing one more song then the next guy will be up," said a breathless and sweaty Chandler into the microphone. Monica watched him adjust the strap of his guitar before he spoke again, "Joey Tribbiani requested Wham's 'The Edge of Heaven' so here goes."

Chandler started singing and all three girls looked at each other with matching stunned faces. He actually sounded good.

"The other guy that's playing the guitar next to him is cute," said Phoebe with the look in her eye she always had when she saw someone attractive.

"Is Ross actually playing that keyboard?" grimaced Rachel, "Because when he sat me down at your house that time and played me it, it was awful."

Monica shook her head, speechless. She picked up her drink and drank it slowly, not taking her eyes off Chandler. He and the band soon finished the song and climbed off stage. The next act played his first song of the evening as Chandler made his way through the crowd. He placed his guitar behind the bar and ordered a water.

"You're good."

He spun around with wide eyes when he heard her.

"Monica! What are you doing here?"

"Rach thought we should try out a new student bar. I knew you wrote songs but I didn't know you could play guitar, let alone sing."

Chandler fidgeted with his shirt collar and looked at his feet, "Yeah, uhm, I wasn't even planning on you finding out."

Monica slid her hands slowly up his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Why?"

He avoided her eyes and tried to move away from her, "I'm all sweaty."

"I don't care. Chandler, answer me."

He still didn't look at her and she knew he was uncomfortable, "Don't ever be embarrassed to tell me stuff. How come you can go up on stage fine but as soon as it comes to talking to me you can't even look at me?"

He tried to ignore the twinge of hurt he heard in her voice and looked into her eyes.

"It's different. I care about your opinion, I don't care about theirs… not that much, anyway."

Monica tightened her hold on him and pressed her body against his, "That's so sweet… I think."

He laughed and placed his hands on her waist. He felt her hand caressing the nape of his neck, playing with the hair there and he exhaled, feeling soothed. She reached up on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek.

"Plus, music is the one thing that keeps me chilled out."

"Well, I think you're good, if that really does count for anything?"

"Oh, that counts" he smiled.

"Hey!"

Chandler jumped away from Monica at the sound of Ross' voice and she fixed her shirt that had risen up slightly.

"Hey Ross," they both said with a smile.

"Hey, yeah, listen, I couldn't hear my keyboard up there."

Chandler shot Monica a look, "Oh, maybe it's broken?"

"Broken?"

"Yeah, things do that sometimes. Have you tried switching it off and on again?"

Monica smirked at Chandler's comment but Ross didn't look the slightest bit amused.

"If it's broken, I can't afford another one! Oh, man!"

"It might not be broken. Go check," said Chandler and ushered Ross away.

Monica raised a suspicious eyebrow at Chandler and he shoved his hands in his pockets, "Okay, maybe we messed with his keyboard so nobody would be able to hear it during our set."

Monica shook her head but laughed, "I knew it!"

"You're not going to tell me off?"

"No, if anything I want to thank you. My brother is terrible at the keyboard. You've saved my ears from bleeding."

Chandler grabbed his bottle of water and held out his arm, "Want to go somewhere a little quieter?"

Monica bit her lip and looked at her friends, who both now had their attention focused on two men at the bar, before back at Chandler. She nodded and hooked her arm around his.

Chandler and Monica sat on the steps of an abandoned building down the road from the bar. They'd been sitting there for a while as Chandler told her about the different times he'd played at that bar. He had also mentioned an ex-girlfriend which made Monica's shoulders tense but she couldn't pinpoint why.

"Wait, Kristin? Kristin Dockland? She's in my culinary class! She's a bitch! She said to this guy in our class once that his cookies tasted like he'd dipped a football players feet in curdled milk – she shouldn't have been eating them in the first place. And considering they tasted like feet, she sure ate a lot of them."

Chandler laughed and sipped his drink, "Yeah, I'm not too keen on her either."

"Was she as big of a bitch when you dated her?"

"Oh, yes."

"Why did you ever date her?"

"She was nice when I first started dating her. We only dated for three months but she changed a lot within such a short space of time."

Monica noticed that his shoulders had sunk and he'd placed his drink down on the concrete step they were sat on. She placed a hand on his knee and asked, "What did she do?"

Chandler put his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes. She squeezed his knee to comfort him and he stared at the lit lamppost.

"She cheated on me."

"What?" gasped Monica.

"I know I shouldn't have been bothered by it because we were only together for three months or so, but it still hurt."

"Oh, Chandler," she moved closer to him so their legs were touching and placed an arm over his shoulders to hug him.

"Ah, that's alright. It's not like it was you that slept with him."

She rubbed his thigh, attempting to comfort him, "It's understandable why you're still upset."

"Yeah, well, when your girlfriend sleeps with one of your best friends it does hurt."

"Best friend?"

Chandler rubbed his chin and closed his eyes, "Yeah, she slept with Joey."

"Oh, God," Monica recoiled, "That Italian guy?"

Chandler nodded.

"The amount of times he's tried it on with – you know what let's skip over that."

"No, lets skip all the way back to that. What were you going to say?" said Chandler pulling away from her slightly to look at her face.

"Well, oh, look it's nothing," she waved a hand.

"No, it's something. Who has he tried it on with?"

Monica rubbed his back mindlessly and looked down, "Well, me, but it was a long time ago."

"You?" Chandler's eyes widened, "How long is 'a long time ago' exactly?"

"Uh, okay, maybe not that long ago. The last time was around a month ago."

"A month ago?!" Chandler repeated, still with wide eyes.

"Chandler," warned Monica, "Calm down."

"I – I am calm."

"No, you're not," she said with a steady voice, "You're freaking out because your best friend used to hit on me."

"No, no, I'm freaking out because my best friend used to hit on you when he knew I liked you. That's why I'm freaking out," he practically screamed and stood up, raking his hands through his hair.

"Hey," Monica said calmly, "Chandler. Chandler, stop it," she snapped.

She stood up and grabbed his chin so he would look at her. She held onto his chin as she spoke, "What does that matter? It's Joey Tribbiani, he hits on everyone and everything. It was harmless flirting, he would never have meant to hurt you. He probably never even thought you'd find out."

Chandler scoffed and tried to move her hand away but she moved it to grasp his t-shirt in a tight fist.

"I'm here with you, aren't I? He asked me out and I said no – like a thousand times. You asked me out once and I said yes. Chandler, please don't overthink it. Just be here, in this moment, with me."

Chandler eased at her words and moved his hand up to squeeze hers that held onto his t-shirt.

"I know, you're right."

"Mmm, say that more often and you're in for a treat," she winked which made the corner of his mouth go up slightly.

He felt calmer but the thought of Joey making a pass at Monica still crept around in the back of his mind.

"You know, I was, uh, cheated on too, once," she swallowed her emotions, not allowing the hurt she felt to be heard in her words. Chandler looked at her with pity and she shook her head, "Don't. Don't look at me like that. I don't like people feeling sorry for me… I just wanted you to know that you're not alone on this."

Chandler nodded in understanding and kissed her forehead, "You never need to worry about any other guy," she almost whispered, "Okay? I know we aren't… in a relationship and that we've only been on one date but I'm pretty set on whatever this is," she ran her hands down his arms, "Now, let's get back inside so you can show me your moves!" she forced a smile and pulled him, by his hand, back to the bar.


	4. Chapter 4: Their Trip

A/N:

Boris Yeltsin – Phoebe and Joey will be cropping up more and more throughout this story but I'm afraid Ross doesn't take part too much. He'll be playing bigger roles in some other stories I have planned, however. Thanks for reviewing!

SomewhereBeyondReality – Thank you for the review and I hope I can keep your interest of this story.

freddyfresse14 – I'm so glad you enjoy my writing; that's comforting to know. Also, thank you for dropping a story idea for me – I have written it (The One Where They Fight) and I hope you enjoy. Feel free to leave or pm me any more ideas :)

matteney – Rachel can be quite mean in this story but her character will develop, not to worry. I'm glad you liked my "admiring" metaphor – I hope you continue to enjoy the rest of this story.

Mondler2017 – I _love _that you always leave long reviews – they're always very thoughtful, so thank you! I'm glad my writing makes you feel 'on cloud nine' and I'll try my best to continue that feeling! Oh, and don't be disappointed about the no kissing part – some of that actions going to happen soon.

Guest – I'm glad you're enjoying this, thank you for the review!

CamilleCM – Yay, I'm glad you liked the birthday section, it was my favourite part to write. Thank you for the review :) means a lot!

Thank you all for the lovely reviews, please keep providing me with feedback and any ideas you may have for stories or even something you want to see happen in this story (if I can squeeze it in).

Also, I'm not sure how Spring Break works in America (all I know is it falls in Feb, March or April) so I just picked April for this story so it can fall around Monica's birthday.

WARNING: May contain mild sexual references/content/scenes of that nature.

* * *

"So then, he comes out of the closet covered in curry sauce, and," her breath caught as she continued to laugh, "everyone starts laughing and our teacher tells us to be quiet, but then he," she snorted, "he opens the bread and dips it into this poor guy's curry-covered hair and eats it."

"Sounds like an eventful class," laughed Chandler and sipped his coffee.

They sat outside a small upper Manhattan café, drinking and laughing. They had been on spring break since a few days after Chandler's birthday and had spent every day together; either in Central Park, his mother's house, sitting outside this same café or shopping. Chandler normally hating shopping but when he got to use it as an excuse to spend time with Monica, he discovered he didn't mind it.

The sun was blaring so Monica was wearing her sunglasses, much to Chandler's vexation as he couldn't look into her eyes as they spoke. Though, he knew he wouldn't be able to do that even if she wasn't wearing her glasses as he had to squint hard to keep the light out of his eyes; he hadn't been as prepared as her and cursed himself for it.

He watched the condensation of her cold Lemonade drip slowly down the tall glass. His slightly blurred gaze moved up to her fingers that played with the straw; the ice cubes in the glass clashing together.

"Chandler?"

"Hmm?"

His eyes met her amused face and she leaned over the small table, lightly brushing the back of her index finger over his eyebrow, "We have _got _to buy you some sunglasses," she chuckled and sat back in her chair, sipping the Lemonade.

He smiled, nodding, and returned to watching her. She looked at the city around her as she crossed her legs, leaning further into her chair and playing with the straw of her drink again.

"That culinary fare you told me about," he started, making her look at him, "Connecticut or New Jersey?"

"There's one in both places."

"Which would you rather go to, now?"

She shrugged and looked back to the street, "Connecticut, I guess."

"Well," he said and she looked back at him again, this time over her sunglasses, "What if I take you? Like, for a few days. As a birthday present."

She stayed silent for a moment, continuing to look at him and he suddenly grew self-conscious, much like he had after first asking her out on a date and she had stared at him.

"I… I don't know, Chandler. I don't think so."

"Oh," he felt his stomach drop, "Oh, no big deal," he started to sweat and felt his breathing shallow, "Dumb idea," he tried to laugh off his discomfort.

A smirk crawled over her lips and his eyebrows fell in confusion.

"Chandler, I'm joking! I'd love to go with you!" she laughed.

"That was cruel," he frowned, pointing a finger at her.

"Oh, come on, it amused _me_."

He rolled his eyes and drank his coffee, "Are you sure you don't mind taking me?" she asked as she watched him.

"I don't know, it was pretty mean what you just did," he teased.

She rolled her eyes and kicked him lightly under the table.

"I'd love to take you," he smiled and felt his anxiety levels dropping, "When would you like to go?"

"Well, it doesn't start till the 21st."

"Day before your birthday, then. Brilliant! We can head to Connecticut on the 20th, get a hotel room and all settled in, swing it at the fare on the 21st then do something fun there on your birthday too."

"How will we get there?"

"I have my license, I could borrow my mom's car and drive us there. I know the train tickets don't cost much but it means we can have nice little road trip."

She put her sunglasses on the top of her head so she could see him better and he was grateful to see her sparkling blue eyes. She thanked him and leaned over the table to kiss him on the cheek.

The days passed by swiftly and it was finally the day of Chandler and Monica's trip. Monica had packed what Chandler thoughts looked like a week's worth of clothing in comparison to his two shirts and essentials. He loaded her case and bag into the trunk of his mom's car along with his own, "Want to grab some snacks on the way?"

"Uh, duh," scoffed Monica, light-heartedly, and got in the car.

They bought candy bars, chips, popcorn, essentially anything they could get their hands on in the store and continued on their journey. They talked and laughed and Chandler complained about Monica's bad taste in radio as they drove. Chandler enjoyed himself on the few hours it took to get to the hotel in Connecticut and couldn't tear the smile from his face.

"I'm going to unload the bags; do you want to head in and book us a room?" he asked, once they were at the trunk of the car.

Monica nodded, took his credit card from him and walked away. He smiled to himself as he threw his bag over his shoulder, he was getting the hang of this whole 'staying calm' thing Monica was teaching him. She'd spent the time since their first date working on his nerves. She'd taught him how to control his breathing when he started to panic, how to handle his sweating, and how to live life properly; to not care what people think. He was still working on those last two parts but her, what he called 'tutoring', was going well.

"It's booked," Monica's wide smile beamed at him as he entered the lobby and she handed him the key for the room and his credit card. He mimicked her smile, and they walked down the long hallways. The hotel seemed to form more and more into a maze as they walked and Chandler felt himself getting hot. However, he didn't know if it was the walking or the idea of being in a room with Monica, and Monica only, for three whole days, that was setting him on fire. Perhaps, he thought, it was both.

"I need a shower, I smell so bad," cringed Chandler making Monica laugh once they reached their room.

"You just smell like boy."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just, you know, boy," she shrugged and he smiled, shaking his head. He opened the hotel door and let her enter first. When he closed the door and turned, his eyes fell straight on to the Queen size bed.

"That's okay, right?" he heard Monica's voice from behind him and turned to see her standing in the doorway of the en suite.

"Y-yeah, it's great – uh – good, yeah, it's good," he stammered.

"Just, we've shared a bed before so I figured…" they had indeed shared a bed, but for some reason, the idea of it happening again made Chandler weak at the knees.

"No, yeah, it's great. More than great."

"Good," Monica smiled back, "Coz you make a very comfy pillow," she laughed and approached him, "Hungry?"

"Starving," he flung his head back, dramatically.

Monica laughed and told him she'd order room service while he showered.

Once in the bathroom, he got into a cold shower, sighing with satisfaction as the water cooled his nerves and the sudden adrenaline rush he had felt when he'd gotten to the hotel. He scrubbed his hair with a towel, and pulled on his fresh clothes. The mirror above the sink allowed him to examine his face for any signs of nervousness showing before exiting the bathroom with the all clear.

He and Monica spent the rest of the day and night eating room service food, watching terrible movies on rental and sleeping holding each other.

It was there second night in their hotel room now and they were both shattered from the long day at the culinary fare so decided to sit in bed and watch the tv for the rest of the evening. Monica had been ecstatic when they'd gotten to the fare and Chandler, though culinary fares weren't really his thing, had loved every single second of watching Monica in her zone. The only thing Chandler loved even more about the day was spending moments with Monica where they were quiet and he could sit close to her and hold her, like they were doing at that moment. Despite enjoying watching the movie with Monica, he also had something digging through the back of his mind.

"Hey, Mon," he said, and rather than look at him, she continued to watch the tv but nodded, "Remember last year, I came to your house and your parents said something about you getting in trouble, what was that about? Like, I know you, apparently, don't have the greatest of reputations but I don't understand why."

Monica looked down to her hands that held popcorn and suddenly felt sick. She used the popcorn as a comforter, something to play with, as she thought of what to say.

"Uhm, well, uhm," she tucked her hair behind her ear, "well, remember how I used to be fat?"

Chandler stiffened, not knowing whether he was allowed to nod or not, but Monica took his silence as confirmation.

"Well, after I lost all that weight, I… well, I, I started hanging out with these people who… weren't the best role models," she continued to pick at the popcorn, "they taught me to stand up for myself when people were mean to me… but not exactly in the most ethical or strategic way… and, one day, I sort of, got in a fight with this girl."

Chandler rubbed her back to comfort her and she carried on, "She'd been calling me names and so I just… I attacked her. I just kept hitting her until I got pulled off her."

"Then after, I realised I'd made a huge mistake. I'd acted like this horrible person for so long and it wasn't who I really was. I was just bitter because of… stuff certain people said about me and I didn't find the right way to deal with it until it was too late. So, I apologised to the girl and… we're okay now."

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't think you're a horrible person… and I'm sorry for bringing this up."

"No, no, don't be. It's good we've talked about it, actually. And, though it was a horrible thing that I did, it made me understand myself and made me realise I was going the complete wrong way about things," she wiped away the small tear that had managed to escape her eye, "I saw the error of my ways and I made a vow to myself that I would stop being bitter, stop caring about what people said about me and to just help others. I don't ever want anyone to feel the level of hate I felt for myself when people would call me names," she sighed, "I just try my best now to cover my negatives with my positives."

"Optimistic over pessimistic, always the best way to view life," he nudged her and smiled, "You want a cuddle, don't you?" he teased and she rolled her eyes, "Come here, come on, get yourself some of the Chan-love while it's on offer."

She wiped a tear away with the back of her hand, laughing, and leaned into his open arms, wrapping hers around his waist, firmly. "Chan-love?" her voice came out muffled in his shoulder.

"Oh yeah, nothing better than a bit of loving from good-old Chandler – the Chan-Chan-Man!"

He felt her upper body moving as she laughed, and her warm breath on his neck as he embraced her. He took a chance and kissed her on her shoulder then her neck. His mind started to race with panic as she moved out of his arms slightly. Her hands moved from his waist to his shoulders, which she held onto with a tight grip. Then something Chandler never thought might happen, happened; she kissed him.

Her lips were pressed firm against his and he wobbled back on the bed. He used his arm to prop himself up and she pulled away from him. His eyes were wide and his heart was racing. She looked from his lips to his eyes, seeking some sort of sign as to how he felt. Chandler's hand moved to the back of her head, his fingers gliding through her hair, as he pressed her lips to his. Their eyes lingered on each other's for a second before they closed them and he lay back completely on the bed, taking her with him.

Her body was pushed up against his side, her leg over his and her hands on either side of his face as they continued to kiss. Their breathing became jagged but they refused to let go of one another. He edged his fingers over her hip, bringing her ever-so-slightly more on top of him. She moaned into the kiss, causing delicate vibrations over Chandler's lips that sent shivers through him and made his blood run south. Monica ran her finger along his jawline, then flattened her hand and traced it over his chest. Her hand reached his belt and it was then that they stopped kissing to look at each other.

"That escalated quickly," he jested, breathlessly.

"Mmm," hummed Monica and rested her forehead on his.

Chandler felt his excitement blend with his nerves as he thought about Monica's hand on his belt. She was so very close to his most intimate area and he was both thrilled and terrified. He was scared she would notice just how excited he was but felt too nervous to move.

"Took us a while to kiss," she kept her eyes on his lips, "how steady should we go?"

Chandler gulped, "H-how steady do you want to go?"

He watched her lips curl upwards and felt the hand that was on his shoulder move to comb through his hair.

"I'm okay with… well, with maybe going… not so steady."

Once more, Chandler gulped and released a shaky breath, "Same here."

With that, Monica's lips met his again in a gentle and brief kiss. She sat up and her lust filled eyes focused on his belt. Chandler watched as she began to unbuckle it, he could see she was as nervous as he was as her fingers trembled. He placed his hand over hers, stopping her, and sat up. He ran the back of his finger down her cheek then kissed where he had traced her face; his lips following his finger. He was going to take the lead for a while, watching someone who was usually so confident turn anxious made him suddenly feel poised.

His finger traced over her jawline, her neck, her collar bones; his lips following close behind. Her hands clasped his shoulders and she sighed, contently. Their lips met and his fumbled at the bottom of her top. He looked into her eyes briefly asking permission which she quickly granted and he lifted her top over her head. His hands immediately held her sides, his mildly cold fingers making her shiver. His eyes focused on her face until she put her forehead against his shoulder with a sigh.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" he rubbed her back and she clung to him.

"Just… just nervous is all. Nobody's really seen me… this vulnerable before."

Chandler's eyes closed and he kissed her lovingly on her bare shoulder.

"Ditto," he said and she moved back to look at him. He gave her his boyish smirk which she had grown to love recently and she smiled back.

Her hands moved tentatively down his chest and to the bottom of his shirt. He helped her remove it and she placed her hands on to his now bare chest and gulped. She watched her hands as she moved them up and down over his chest and shoulders.

"It's okay to be nervous," he smiled, "I, of all people, understand that feeling."

She bit her lip, nodding and sliding her hands down his chest and to his belt. This time she successfully unbuckled it and then focused on trying to unbutton his jeans. He nudged her shoulder with his hand indicating she should lie down, so she did. He took a breath, stood up and unbuttoned his jeans, unzipped the fly and pulled them to his ankles. He stepped out of them and sat on the edge of the bed.

"It's only fair," he teased as he reached for her jeans. She laughed and he unbuttoned them, with her arching herself up so he could pull them down and throw them on to the floor. He lay next to her, and placed his hand on her stomach. His hands had started to sweat from the combination of adrenaline and nerves but he found himself unfazed by this. He was more concerned about how nervous Monica was. She was shaking from head-to-toe still, it was less than before but it was still noticeable.

"We're safe together," he assured her, "I'll look after you, I promise."

She leaned up, kissing him harder than she had since the first kiss and pulled him flush against her. It was his turn to moan when he felt her heel press into his calf. His hair became ruffled as she raked her hands through it; he could feel her confidence building back up. His spine tingled when she snaked her fingers along it and he hummed into their kiss when she tugged at his boxers. Her foot moved up his leg and over his buttocks as they kissed vigorously.

"Under the covers?" he asked and she nodded.

They climbed under the covers and pulled off the rest of their own clothing.

"Wait," Chandler interrupted their kissing again, "we don't have a condom… I didn't really see this coming."

"It's fine, I'll go to a Pharmacists tomorrow and get the morning-after-pill."

"Are-are you sure?"

Monica nodded and pulled him, by his hand, to on top of her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they continued their kissing. Moments later and they had started moving together, caressing each other lovingly as they took uneven breaths and whispered each other's names. She tugged at his hair, his face tucked into her neck and shoulder as he moved with more vigour. Her legs were wrapped around his waist as she rocked with him, establishing a rhythm. Then, with a grunt and a hard push, he collapsed on top of her, hearing her call out his name at the same time. His face stayed tucked in her neck as he panted, his hot breath caressing her skin. She held him to her, stroking his hair and kissing his shoulder; his hand clasped the pillow under her head.

"So that's Chan-love, huh?" she teased and felt him laugh against her, "God, was it worth the wait," she sighed, happily, and kissed his shoulder again.


	5. Chapter 5: Her Birthday

A/N:

Thank you to everyone for reviewing! I'm sorry this chapter is up a little later than the others have been. I've just been very very busy. I'm sorry if there is any mistakes. The next chapter will be up within the next few days. In this one I tried to explore Monica's insecurities a little, I'm not sure if it worked.

* * *

Her knuckles rubbed her eyes and she pushed herself up on her elbows. Slowly, her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she scanned the room, looking from her clothes scattered on the floor to Chandler beside her. Memories of what they had done a few hours prior flooded through her mind in waves. She bit her lip as she watched him sleep then got up and headed to the bathroom.

She turned on the shower, letting it run till piping hot before standing under it, allowing the water to run over her shoulders and down her back. Her hands laced through her hair, the water and shampoo cleansing it, as her eyes closed. She rinsed her hair and started soaping her body, humming happily as she thought about earlier that night. Memories of Chandler's kisses against her skin made her toes curl. She ran her hands over her neck, shoulders and chest, tracing where Chandler's fingers had touched.

Some minutes later and she had finished showering and had started rubbing cream onto her face. The mirror in front of her still held, in her mind, the image of herself as an overweight teenager. The child her mother favoured the least. The second best to her best friend. The girl who people had only ever been interested in because she was easy to manipulate. The girl with insecurities that she had sworn she wouldn't dare let anyone see again. But now, she was considering opening up to Chandler more.

Her eyes focused hard on her reflection as she ran her hands through her hair and over her ears. Her ears were a strong insecurity of hers because her mother had constantly put pressure on her to cover them up with her hair so nobody could see how they stuck out slightly. The only thing her mother hadn't yet made her feel self-conscious about was her freckles.

She felt conflicted as she looked at herself, she didn't hate her appearance but she didn't like it either. Her mother constantly critiqued her but Chandler praised her. She couldn't understand how she could look so different in somebody else's eyes.

Chandler had told her the night before, as they made love, how much he adored her. Right from her head to the very tips of her toes. He'd told her how much he loved her smile, her eyes and her nose, and had made her feel so special. He hadn't once judged her. He hadn't judged her appearance nor her reputation. She was baffled by this. She traced her eyebrows with her finger, the slightly dark circles under her eyes then her cheekbone; examining every inch of her own face trying to understand what he saw in her that was so different to what her mother saw.

She washed her hands, put on fresh pyjamas and combed her brush through her hair, then, with a deep breath, walked out of the bathroom. Her dampened mood soon lifted when she saw Chandler still sleeping but with a light smile on his face. She put her wash-bag and dirty clothes into her suitcase and climbed into the bed. She lifted his arm, putting it around her shoulders, and tucked herself into his side. Her leg rested on top of his, her head nestled in his neck, while she drew light circles on his abdomen with her finger. Chandler grunted in his sleep and automatically tightened his hold on her.

Monica fell back asleep in Chandler's embrace, only waking several hours later after she felt the bed shifting. The arm under her head stretched out and she arched her back as she yawned. Chandler looked from his book to her, a wide smile covering his face.

"Happy birthday."

Monica smiled and sat up beside him, her hand immediately coming to rest on his shoulder followed by her chin.

"Thank you," she said, kissing the skin between his neck and shoulder, "What time is it?"

"Eleven."

"What?!"

"It's your birthday and we don't have College, you deserved a lie in."

Monica's untensed and smiled, "Fine, you're right."

"So, what's being twenty like?" asked Chandler.

"We'll soon find out, but I don't think it could ever beat nineteen," she smiled, "thank you for last night," she added and Chandler looked down at his hands, sheepishly.

"Thank _you_," he said, "it was… it was really, uh, cool – no, that came out weird. It was amazing," he cringed at himself but smiled when he heard her chuckling. She rubbed his upper arm and kissed his cheek.

"It really was 'cool'," she laughed and ruffled his hair.

"I gather you already showered."

"Oh, yeah, I woke up in the night so figured I would."

"Well, you smell great."

Monica thanked him then asked him what he was reading.

"Oh, a book you told me about last week, 'Katherine'."

"Opinions?"

"It's okay," he shrugged and her head bobbed up and down on his shoulder, "did this actually happen though?"

"Yeah, it's a true story. Well… some of it's rumoured to be incorrect but it's still a good read. I didn't think you were really listening to me when I was talking to you about it."

"Of course, I was. I listen to everything you say."

Monica hid her smile in her hand.

Chandler closed the book and patted her on the knee, "Right, I smell offensive. I should shower."

"Is it okay that I've, sort of, planned out the day for us?" he suddenly turned and asked, "I don't want to seem controlling, I just want to make sure it's great."

Monica bit the inside of her mouth, she really didn't like to relinquish control over anything, "That's fine," she smiled. Maybe handing over control to someone else for a change would prove to be a good thing.

She watched him close the bathroom door, and picked up the book. She stroked the cover of it with her thumb, smiling. It was the smallest of acts, listening to her and taking note of one of her favourite books, but it showed he really was interested in her.

/hours later/

Chandler felt something prodding his back and turned from the store window he was looking at. Monica was looking up at him, a wide smile on her face as she held out a pair of round sunglasses.

"Yes?"

"I got you these," she wiggled the sunglasses at him.

Chandler took them and examined them, "Are these yours?"

"No," she rolled her eyes, "I bought them for you. They're just the _same_ as mine. I said we needed to get you some. Go on, try them on!"

Chandler put the sunglasses on and pulled a silly face.

"Very handsome," laughed Monica, she straightened his shirt and played with its buttons, "really, very handsome. Plus, I figured I owed you after I beat you at bowling."

"Hey, I let you win because it's your birthday!"

Monica scoffed, "Yeah, sure, I totally kicked your ass!"

"I'm the Master of the bowling alley."

"Sure looked like it," teased Monica and they laughed.

"You look really good in red, you know," said Chandler, eyes fixed on her top. He scratched the back of his head and looked to his shoes, his face turning red.

"You are allowed to compliment me, you know. You don't have to go all shy after."

Chandler laughed and Monica watched him with a large smile. She held his face in her hands and kissed him. "Thank you," she said, kissing him lightly once more. "So, what are we doing now?" she asked.

"Well, back to the hotel, then, I'm taking you out for dinner."

"Dinner?"

"That's right. A fancy one too."

/after dinner/

"Chandler, come on, it doesn't matter."

Monica shut the hotel room door and followed him to the bathroom.

"Everyone saw!"

"So?"

Monica stood in the doorway watching Chandler wet a towel and dab it on his crotch.

"So, you spilled wine on yourself, who cares?"

"People saw. It's embarrassing."

Monica rubbed her hands over her face in frustration and sighed, "Everyone's spilled something on themselves before. Most people there didn't even notice. You're just panicking because you're not thinking straight."

"Monica-"

"Chandler, I once sat on some chocolate cake that someone had smudge onto the cafeteria chair. I walked around all day with a big brown stain on my pants and nobody told me. I didn't notice till I got home. We all have our embarrassing moments. It's normal."

Chandler stopped rubbing his pants with the cloth and looked Monica with a smirk.

"See, if you can find what happened to me funny then you can find what happened to you funny."

She watched Chandler slump against the sink and throw the damp towel into the bathtub.

"I'll get you a change of pants and when we get home, I can get the wine out of those ones."

She left the bathroom and soon came back with some pyjama bottoms for him. Chandler pulled off his pants and Monica gulped, watching him slip his legs into the pyjama bottoms.

"I see you eyeing me up," he laughed and Monica's eyes shot up to look into his.

"Was not," scoffed Monica with a head tilt so she could look away from him.

"Yes, you were."

She rolled her eyes and pushed him away, playfully, when he reached for her.

"Do you feel better now?" she asked.

"I do. Thank you. I just-"

"Panicked, I know. It's okay."

He reached for her and this time she let him grab and draw her to him. Tingles ran down her spine as his hands moved up and down her back. She stood on her tip-toes, kissing him and wrapping her arms around him to keep her steady. She grazed her nails over his nape and slid her fingers under the collar of his shirt so she could feel his hot skin. He guided her backwards into the bedroom, to the bed. They continued to kiss as he stretched out an arm feeling for the bed so he could lay her on it. Monica grinned into their kiss, her hands on the back of his head, as Chandler put both arms by either side of her head after slipping slightly.

"Mon'?"

"Mmm?" she hummed and continuously kissed his face and jawline as she waited for him to continue.

"Uh – are we, uhm, ugh," he mentally slapped himself for not being able to string a sentence together.

"Take your time Chandler, I'm not going anywhere," she comforted him, playing with the hair on the back of his neck and pressing her forehead to his.

Chandler composed himself and asked, "Are we… are we in a relationship?"

Monica opened her eyes and saw him looking at her.

"What do you think?"

"Well, I, I'd like to, uh, I'd like to be."

"So would I."

"Yeah?"

"Definitely. But you have to ask me."

"Ask you?"

Chandler smiled at the wiggle of her eyebrows, "Monica Geller, would be you my girlfriend?"

Monica pretended to think about it and cupped his face, her thumb touching his lip lightly. "I'd love to be your girlfriend, Chandler."

He smiled and kissed her thumb.

"On one condition,"

"You always have a condition. What is it?"

"You kiss me again. Right now."

Chandler gladly did as he was told and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.


	6. Chapter 6: Her Payback

A/N:

Turns out this chapter was ready now so here you go. Sorry if there's any errors. And thank you again for reviewing, I appreciate it more than you'll ever know.

Chandler and Monica were now back at College after Spring break and Monica was having the time of her life. She was thrilled to be back in her culinary class doing what she loved. Chandler on the other hand, was beyond upset. He'd enjoyed spending day and night with Monica away from College work and students. He hadn't been able to concentrate all week in his classes and his lecturer kept shooting him glares.

Monica was happy, she'd gotten to stay behind after her evening class had finished so she could practice something and Phoebe had joined her.

"I'm telling you, he's a great singer – he needs to do a set with me."

"Pheebs, you can ask him yourself," Monica smiled, shaking her head, "You're a big girl, you can do it," she teased and Phoebe lifted herself onto the counter, rolling her eyes.

Monica had just placed the food into the oven when she heard the door open. She saw Kristin and her friend Loren enter the room. Kristin and Loren hadn't been in the class that day and Monica had been relieved to see that. After what Chandler had told her about Kristin all she wanted to do was confront her about it.

Monica busied herself with the washing up. She could faintly hear Kristin and Loren talking but it wasn't till they mentioned Chandler's name that her ears really tuned in. She'd never listened into one of their conversations before because she'd normally be too busy cooking to care, but since she knew what she knew she couldn't help but listen. She presumed they must have spoken about Chandler before and that she just hadn't noticed but this time she was determined to hear everything they had to say about him.

"Are they talking about your Chandler?" whispered Phoebe.

Monica gave her a cautious look and held a finger to her own lips.

"I still can't believe he did what he did. You only slept with that Italian guy once. I bet he was good, was he bi-" and that's when Monica grimaced at Loren's words not really wanting the image of Kristin and Joey being intimate in her mind. "Sleeping with him once is no reason for Chandler to break up with you."

"Exactly. But he was too irritating for me anyway. In a way I'm glad he broke up with me all those years ago, saved me the trouble of dumping him. He had this really horrible nervous stammer-thing – it's just 'Oh my God, spit it out!', you know?"

Monica washed the wooden spoon and placed it on the drying rack. She picked up the towel and began drying the dishes as she and Phoebe continued to listen.

"Anyway, I hear he's found someone else to drone on at," said Loren.

"Really? He managed to find someone to actually put up with him?"

"Yeah, you see that girl over there?"

Monica presumed Loren was pointing at her and it was confirmed when Kristin scoffed her name.

"Wow," said Kristin, "I didn't know she was into freaks. I thought she went for bad guys, Chandler's not exactly biker material, is he?"

Monica's shoulders tensed and she was ready then and there to confront Kristin but she was more strategic than that and it helped that Phoebe was there with a stern look on her face. Monica and Phoebe both knew to wait for the perfect moment to pounce.

"He's a nervous wreck, I don't know how I ever put up with him. I've never met someone so cowardly. A girl doesn't want cowardly, a girl wants manly and strong, a lion – not this pathetic little kitten who can't even build up the courage to read in front of the class."

Monica's interest in their conversation became lacking but her ears pricked up once more when she heard Joey's name.

"I think I've told you before."

"I know but tell me again," said Loren.

"He was amazing. Joey was the best sex I've ever had."

"Chandler wasn't good?"

"That's the thing. He wouldn't have sex with me. A girl can't wait forever. I don't imagine he'd be very good anyway. He's going to be a virgin forever. Nerds never get laid."

Phoebe asked Monica if Chandler was still a virgin but she silenced her with a glare.

"I still can't believe you slept with his best friend," Loren laughed, "That was a heck of a thing to do. Impressive."

"Can you blame me? Joey's gorgeous. If I'd been sane enough in the first place to just get with him and not bother with Chandler it would have saved me so much time and ear ache."

Loren and Kristin continued to discuss Joey and how good he was in bed which Monica chose to try to ignore as best she could. She didn't fancy picturing what Kristin and Joey were doing the next time she saw Joey.

Monica handed Phoebe a bowl of custard she had gotten out of the fridge and turned to Kristin when she heard Loren announce she was going to the bathroom. Monica took this as her opportunity.

"If I wasn't cooking right now, I would so kick your ass!" snarled Monica as she stormed up to Kristin and Phoebe chased after her, clutching the bowl.

"Sorry?"

"You heard me. I heard what you were saying about Chandler."

Kristin's mouth curled into a smirk and she stood up. She was taller than Monica but Monica wasn't intimidated. She knew what to do with tall girls. Aim for the knees.

"Aw, has he got his little girlfriend running around to defend him now? I only speak the truth, Monica."

Monica folded her arms and glared at Kristin.

"He was a pathetic loser and I wish I'd never dated him."

"You didn't have to break his heart by sleeping with his best friend. You could have dumped him then made a pass on Joey," Phoebe swooped in.

"If you really are getting with Chandler," Kristin ignored Phoebe's comment and continued to talk to Monica, "which I presume you are seen as you're all up-in-my-face right now, then I'm sure you'll do the same as I did. You'll soon realise what he is and move on. Go for Joey, he's real good in the sack. Chandler's a freak, end of."

"Don't call him that," Snapped Monica.

"What? A freak? Oh, honey, but he is one."

Monica looked at Phoebe for help, not knowing what to do as words weren't working against this girl. Phoebe looked at the object in her hands and without a second thought threw the contents at Kristin. Monica gasped and stepped back; Phoebe, too, looked shocked at her own actions as Kristin screamed.

"There," Phoebe now looked proudly at Monica, handed her the bowl and dusted off her hands.

"Phoebe!" exclaimed Monica.

"What have you done? Look at my hair!" shrieked an angry Kristin.

"Oh, you had it coming," shrugged Phoebe. "I think you should apologise to Monica, too."

"What?!"

"Do you want more custard for hair?"

Kristin's shoulders slumped and she took a step closer to Monica, "Sorry, Monica."

Amusement sparkled in Monica's eyes, watching custard drip down Kristin's eyebrows and nose.

Kristin stormed over to pick up her belongings and turned off her oven. She slammed the door shut after pulling out something that was undercooked and threw it in the trash.

"Kristin? What happened?" said Loren as she entered the room.

"I spilled something on myself, isn't it obvious, Loren?!"

Kristin walked quickly to the door but Monica's voice stopped her and she turned around.

"You've got something," Monica pointed at her own nose, "just there."

Kristin shrieked and Monica grinned to herself as Kristin stormed out of the room with Loren not far behind.

"Worked a treat," grinned Phoebe.

"Pheebs, that was-I'm-"

"Are you complaining?"

Monica shook her head and bit her lip. She pulled out a perfectly cooked lasagne and put it on the counter. She leaned down to smell the lasagne, "Mmm, Chandler's going to love this."

Chandler jumped at the sound of a knock at his door. He got up from his desk and opened it, only smiling once he saw it was Monica.

"Hey," he greeted and stepped to the side, letting her enter.

"I made you this," she held out the lasagne.

"Really? Thank you, I haven't eaten all day."

"How come?"

"I've just been doing work all day. I tell you, this College thing is exhausting."

He closed his eyes in pleasure as he took a bite of the lasagne. "My God, Monica, this is so good."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah! I'm so glad you're doing this course."

Monica sat down on his bed and took off her coat, placing it neatly over the headboard and smiling at him.

"Why? Because of the free food?" she teased.

"Well, yes, obviously," he took another bite, "but also" he paused swallowing the food before he continued talking which made Monica smile. She was glad he hadn't continued to talk when he had his mouth full, "because I've never tasted anything as good as your cooking. You're going to make a phenomenal chef."

"Why, thank you."

He held out a fork of lasagne to her and wiggled it near her face when she didn't take it. She leaned forward and ate it.

"Good, right?"

Monica nodded but turned her head away when he held out another piece for her, "It's good but I brought it over for you," she stood up and moved to behind his chair. She squeezed his shoulders and kissed the top of his head then rested her chin on it, "Now, eat up because we're going out."

"We are?"

Monica her arms around his shoulders resting her head on his shoulder.

"Mhm, we're going to a party."

She felt him stiffen and heard his breathing speed up a fraction.

"A party? Whose?"

"Rachel's. It's her birthday party, she's having it early, and her dad's letting her have the house all to herself for it," she squeezed him again to relax him, "There'll be booze."

"I don't think she's my biggest fan. I'm not sure she'd want me there."

"I don't care. I can bring whoever I want and I want to bring you. We've got to start getting you out there."

Chandler turned slightly in his chair with his face inches from hers.

"Out there?"

She could see the panic in his eyes.

"Yes. Out in the real world. Build your conﬁdence up," she took advantage of how close his face was to hers and kissed him.

"Oh, I don't know."

"Chandler," she knelt down beside him, "If you can go on stage and sing in front of all those people you can go to my best friend's party."

She could see he was still hesitant so added, "I'll wear my sexiest outfit."

Chandler laughed and tugged on her hand to bring her up to him. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly so his head rested against her chest.

"Fine. I'll go. But if I freak out, I'm leaving"

"That sounds fair," she smiled down at him stroking her fingers through his hair.

/hour later/

"Rach, I seriously need your help here," said Monica frantically waving the two dresses in front of her friend's face. Rachel stopped filing her nails and looked up at Monica.

"It's just Chandler. He won't be bothered about what you wear."

"It's not '_just _Chandler', Rach. I really like him and I really want him to like me just as much so would you _please_ help me pick a dress!"

"Alright, alright," huffed Rachel and got up off Monica's bed, "I know something means a lot to you when you start blabbering and flapping around like that." She took both of the dresses out of Monica's hands and threw them onto Monica's bed.

Monica watched her friend with an exasperated expression as she routed through her wardrobe throwing her clothes on the bed and floor.

"Okay, I asked you to help me find a dress, not make a mess."

Rachel shot Monica a look before turning back to the wardrobe, "Here we are!" Rachel handed her a dress, "The sexiest dress you own. Oh, and," she bent down and came back up holding a pair of heels, "The sexiest pair of shoes you own."

Monica examined what Rachel had picked out and decided she was right.

"Once we get to my dad's, I'll call Phoebe and she can come do your hair. My dad called earlier to say everything was all set up for the party and that all we have to do is remember to buy him some Red Vines as a thank you."

/meanwhile/

"She said she's going to be wearing her sexiest outfit. I don't have one of those!"

"Chandler, chill, man," chuckled Joey, "You can borrow something of my clothes."

Chandler stopped pacing his room and looked at Joey, "Me wear something of yours? Joe, I wouldn't look good in anything you own."

"Yes, you will!" said Joey but left the room before Chandler could argue. He soon came back holding a pile of clothes, "You'll have to wear your own shoes though."

"Why, because of your freakishly tiny feet?" teased Chandler.

Joey gave him an angry look and threw the clothes at him.

Chandler laughed and started sorting through the clothes, "Yeah, thanks Joey but I don't really need your boxers," he said throwing them back at Joey.

"Oh, crap, I only own one pair, thanks, could have lost them."

"You only own one pair? Then what are you –" Chandler shook his head, "Nevermind, I don't want to know."

"Hey, can I come tonight?"

Chandler suddenly froze, "Uhm, I don't know. If you weren't invited then-"

"Oh, come on, Chan'!"

"I guess I can't stop you," he shrugged and turned away from Joey. He closed his eyes in frustration; he didn't want Joey to be in the same room as Monica never mind the same party where she could see them side by side and judge who she liked better. He knew Joey would win every time.

/an hour later/

Chandler, Joey and Ross were greeted by Rachel at her front door. Chandler noticed her eyes lingered on Joey as they walked in.

"Chandler, Monica's in my room," she said without even looking at him. She told him where her room was and he made his way up the stairs. He opened the door and saw she was sat with her back to the door, looking out the window. She was sat on the sill with her knees tucked up to her chest.

"Hey," he said quietly so not to startle her.

She smiled when she saw him and stood up.

"You – you look… amazing" he stuttered as he got closer to her.

"Really?"

"Really," he beamed down at her and took her hands in his. He stepped back from her, still holding her hands, to really look at her.

"You look really good, too."

"Oh, these are Joey's clothes. I didn't own anything good enough."

"I don't really care what you're wearing. You being here is enough. I know it took a lot for you to come here."

"Want to go downstairs?"

Monica nodded and he took her hand, guiding her downstairs.

They danced for a while with Monica shouting over the loud music that his dancing was abysmal but because he had consumed so much alcohol he didn't seem to care. He felt like it was only him and Monica in the room at that moment and didn't mind if anybody was watching him dancing around. He was having fun. Being with Monica made him feel intoxicated, he felt like he was on some sort of happy drug whenever he was with her. She never failed to comfort him when he felt anxious and her smile was thoroughly hypnotising.

Chandler kissed Monica on the top of the head and walked away with Phoebe to get some drinks, leaving Monica with Joey and Ross.

"So, how's it going with you and Monica?" asked Phoebe as she poured punch into a glass.

"Great, I think."

"She seems to really like you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, I haven't seen her this happy in a long time. She normally goes for the type of guys who are emotionally cut off and only in it to get one thing out of her, if you know what I mean."

Chandler nodded slowly and felt his stomach jerk.

"I'm glad she's chosen you. You seem like an amazing guy. She deserves the best Chandler, and you know what? I think you're the one that can make that happen."

Chandler smiled lightly and helped Phoebe carry the drinks. She continued to be nice and compliment him as they walked. He wasn't so used to someone he didn't know being so nice to him. He wondered if she was being genuinely nice or if she was just trying hard because she was Monica's friend.

He stopped suddenly and quickly handed the drinks to Phoebe, some of them spilled on the floor as he knocked her and rushed out of the house.

Monica was dancing with Joey. They had been so close, their bodies almost touching as they swayed slowly to the music. He felt sick to the very core. Joey, his best friend, was going to do it again. He was going to take her away from him. He knew it could be said that he was overreacting but with that lying on top of his nerves that he already had about this party, he thought he had every right to react by running away.

/half an hour later/

"Where did you go? I was worried. Phoebe said you just turned pale and ran off."

Chandler left the door open for her and lay back down on his bed. Monica looked around the room and saw that he had discarded Joey's clothes in a corner. He was now in his cowboy pyjamas and looked unwell.

"Are you okay?" she asked and closed the door behind her. She sat at the bottom of his bed and placed a hand on his leg.

"Sure. I'm okay."

Monica huffed in frustration at his blunt response. She decided she would sit there silent and wait for him to speak.

"I saw you."

"Saw me?"

"With him."

"Okay, Chandler, talking all cryptic at me isn't going to help me understand what the hell is going on here."

"With Joey."

"Joey? You mean when we were dancing?"

When Chandler didn't respond she knew that was exactly what he meant.

"Chan-"

"You know what," he sat up and looked her dead in the eye, "It's fine. If you want to be with him then go be with him. He always gets the girl, even when the girl is meant to be mine."

Monica put her head in her hands with a sigh then looked at him again.

"Chandler, we were only dancing. And I'm not something to be won, I'm not 'meant' to be yours or his."

"Pfft, dancing! Until it turns into something more. Why does he do this? I know he's better looking and charming but why does he always have to swoop in and take the girl I like? Why can't he go and meet a girl that isn't already taken?! I'm always second best when it comes to him."

Monica reached for his hand but he pulled it away.

"Chandler. He danced with me so he could talk to me."

"Oh, I bet he did."

"He was talking to me about you."

"What?"

"He was talking to me about you. He warned me not to hurt you. He said he knew how different we were and that he didn't want me to push you into anything you were uncomfortable with."

Chandler looked gobsmacked. "Really? Joey actually said that? You're not just saying this to get out of me being mad at him?"

"I'm not just saying it. It's the truth. Ask him. Ask Ross, he was standing right beside us, he heard everything."

Chandler got up from his bed and began pacing the room.

"You're really telling the truth? Because I can't do this again, Monica. I really like you and I don't want to lose you before we've even really started."

"Yes. Chandler, I don't want Joey. If I wanted him, I'd have said yes to him when he asked me out."

"Why don't you want to be with him?"

"Because I want to be with you."

"Why? Why, when you could have someone like Joey?"

"Because I find you attractive. I find you funny and smart and caring. You make me feel all warm and happy inside and you always know the right thing to say. I can tell you genuinely care about me and want to be with me and not just sleep with me and then move on."

Chandler looked down at the floor.

"But… well, like everyone keeps saying, we're so different, aren't we? Don't you have, I don't know, some sort of reputation to uphold? Aren't I ruining it?"

"God, sweetie, no. Don't be so silly. I don't care what people think about me. I know I've done some stuff that isn't great and I used to hang out with the wrong crowd but that's not who I am anymore. Chandler, I want to be with you – I genuinely don't care if people think you're too awkward for me or whatever. To me you're amazing. You don't give yourself enough credit. You put yourself down all of the time and you shouldn't. I think you're a lovely guy and I really, really care about you and want you to realise your self-worth. Stop comparing yourself to others. You're perfect just the way you are. Not to mention you're really cute."

"Do you want me to prove it to you? Is that what you want?" she added.

Before Chandler could reply Monica had gotten up from the bed and pressed her lips to his, pulling him by his pyjama shirt to her. They pulled apart and he saw that cheeky glint in her eyes glowing in the darkness. He leaned in and kissed her. She lay back on the bed pulling him down onto her. He rested his arms either side of her but his balance buckled slightly when he heard her moan. She smiled against his lips and ran her fingers through his hair. Another moan escaped her lips when she felt him rest his weight on her.

"Ross told me he was going to stay at Joey's tonight," she practically whispered.

"You want to stay here?" he asked breathlessly when they pulled apart.

Monica nodded and Chandler rolled them over so Monica was straddling him. His shaking fingers fiddled with the zip on the back of her dress, while hers undid the buttons of his shirt. Once he'd unzipped her dress, she leaned down and kissed him sweetly.

"We're really doing this again?" asked Chandler.

"Oh, yeah," grinned Monica and pushed his shirt open.

Chandler helped Monica pull her dress over her head, then he sat up and shrugged off his shirt. He propped himself up on his elbows. They kissed fervently, Monica clutching his shoulders as he lifted them up enough so he could kick off his pants. They managed to remove their underwear without barely breaking their kiss and Monica pressed herself hard against Chandler.

They kissed and rocked together, and soon they were spent and under the covers. Chandler's head rested on Monica's chest as she stroked his hair. Once he had his energy back, Chandler pulled on his boxers, got up and went to his drawers then came back with a t-shirt.

"You can wear to keep you warm in the night, if you want?" he got back under the covers and handed her the t-shirt, "It's clean, I promise."

Monica sat up in bed and slipped the shirt on. She lay back down, her head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her on the head. She could smell his cologne on the t-shirt and it made the butterflies in her stomach flutter.

"When you said this was clean?"

"I meant I wore it yesterday then just shoved it back in the drawer. Sorry."

"It smells like you. I'm okay with that."

/the next morning/

"Chandler! Chandler, open up, I forgot my key."

Chandler and Monica sat bolt upright in his bed at the sound of Ross' voice at the door. They exchanged a panicked look and Chandler hopped out of bed helping her up at the same time.

"Hold on a sec!" he replied with a high-pitched voice and Monica shot him a look and tried to stifled her laughter. Watching him swirl around in circles looking for somewhere for her to hide amused her.

Chandler passed Monica her clothes from the night before and told her to change in the en suite while he dealt with Ross. She obliged and snuck into the en suite.

"Ross!" Chandler greeted his friend with an unnaturally wide smile as he opened the door, "Enjoy the party last night?"

"Yeah," said Ross and dumped his jacket on his bed, "It was good. Hey, did Monica find you last night? She was really worried about you, you know. Nothing happened between her and Joe."

Chandler glanced at the en suite door quickly, "Yeah, yeah, she found me. We're all good."

"I'm glad to hear it, man," smiled Ross, "Did you get her back to her room okay?" Chandler nodded quickly and Ross walked to the en suite but before he could reach the door Chandler jumped in front of him.

"Woah, woah, where you going there?"

"To pee."

"You can't," said Chandler, pressing himself against the door so Ross couldn't open it.

"Why not?"

"Because – because _I _have to pee."

"Go after me," Ross shook his head and reached for the handle but Chandler moved in front of it, "Dude."

"Okay," sighed Chandler, "The truth is… I've got a really messed up tummy and I sort of… well, it needs a good clean."

Ross recoiled slightly and his face creased into one of disgust.

"Dude!"

"Hey! I can't help it. Alcohol doesn't always agree with me!" Chandler defended his made-up reason. He thought he'd came up with a brilliant excuse with the short amount of time he had to think.

"I guess I'll go use Joey's," Ross backed away from Chandler slowly, "Feel better man," he opened the door and left.

Chandler opened the en suite door and Monica walked out doubled over laughing.

"You have a bad tummy?" she laughed.

"Hey, that was a good excuse!"

She stifled her laugh with a hand over her mouth and he smiled down at her enjoying seeing her so happy.

"I better go," she finally said when she'd stopped laughing, "He'll kill me if he finds out I slept here."

She held out her hand to give him back his shirt that she had slept in which was now neatly folded.

"Keep it,"

"What?"

"Keep it. Take it with you back to your room."

She gave him her best smile and pulled him down to her to kiss him hard.

"Thank you," she mumbled against his lips, "Okay, I better leave. But I'll come by and see you tomorrow after your evening class?"

"Oh, I'll be busy. A few weeks ago, I promised I'd help Joey out with his talent show audition."

Monica raised a questioning eyebrow.

"He's a drama student and wants to perform this play he's written. I have to help him find people to be in it."

"Maybe I could come help you guys out? The more the merrier and all that."

Chandler gave her a light nod and told her he would pick her up the next night before watching her leave the room.

/minutes later/

"And where have you been?" came Rachel's voice.

Monica closed the door behind her and sat on her bed. She smiled at the t-shirt in her lap as she stroked out its creases.

"Mon'?"

"Hmm?"

"Where have you been?"

Monica looked at Rachel and Rachel's eyes widened.

"You stayed at Chandler's!"

"How–"

"I can tell by that huge smile on your face. And you're in last night's dress. I'm guessing that's his shirt?" she gestured over her magazine.

Monica hugged the t-shirt to her chest and smiled wider, "Yeah. He gave me it to sleep in."

"Aww, okay now that's cute," smiled Rachel, "So, what did you guys do?"

"We slept."

Rachel gestured for more information.

"You're so nosy" Monica shook her head but couldn't help but smile. She lay on her bed with his shirt sprawled over her.

"Oh, my God! Did you two-"

"Yeah," Monica said simply.

"Oh, my God! Monica, you finally lost your 'flower'!"

Monica lifted her head to glare at her friend.

"I'm just saying. I want details, come on!"

Monica turned to lay on her side so she was facing Rachel. "Well, last night was, sort of our second time."

"Sec- when was the first?"

Rachel had grown so intrigued in Monica's sex life that she had placed her magazine down and leaned forward, her elbows on her knees.

"When we went to Connecticut."

"In a hotel? Ooh, dirty!"

Monica rolled her eyes, "It was amazing."

"Yeah?"

"Oh, yeah! I never thought it would be that good."

"So, Chandler's good in bed then?"

"So good. I mean, I've nothing to compare it to, but oh my God, all I can say is I'm glad I waited. I'm glad my first time was with him."

Rachel fidgeted on her bed. She smiled at how content her friend looked but a question was still eating at her.

"So, you are really set on this guy then, huh?" asked Rachel.

"You know what, I really am. I don't care what people think of him or us being together – he makes me happy and I just love being with him, you know? That's all that matters to me."

"Are you two, you know, official now or anything?"

"He asked me to be his girlfriend at the hotel, so yeah."

Monica continued to provide Rachel with all the dirty details of that night at the hotel and of the previous night. Once they were finished discussing it, Rachel went back to flicking through her magazine until Monica told her about Joey and the talent show. "Wait, he's written a play? That Tribbiani guy?"

"Mhm, and he's looking for people to be in it so Chandler and I are going to help him find people."

"Will Joey be in the play?"

"I presume so, but I don't know," shrugged Monica while she opened her wardrobe and hung the t-shirt away.

"I wouldn't mind auditioning for it."

Monica's face appeared from behind the wardrobe door wearing a bewildered expression. "You? In a play? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, how bad can it be?"

"You do know you'll have to be in front of a big audience? That you'll actually have to put effort in and learn your lines – this isn't just a good excuse to get out of the work you already have. This will be more work on top of that," said Monica, her hands on her hips.

"Pfft, I know," shrugged Rachel, "I can do it. It's a nice challenge for me."

"Well, okay, come with me and Chandler tomorrow, then."


	7. Chapter 7: The Play

I'm sorry that this chapter isn't much and that it's up at an unusual date again but, hey, at least it's here :).

Apologies for any errors/typos.

Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter! Please, keep reviewing. Thanks.

* * *

/next day/

"Well, if you would stop standing on my toes!"

"I didn't!"

"Pfft, yeah, beg to differ-"

"Will you two stop," exclaimed Joey, standing up and waving his script at Rachel and Chandler.

Monica came through the door, carrying a tray of coffees, "So, how's everything going?"

The stage curtain wafted as Rachel quickly turned around. She pointed her rolled up script behind her at Chandler.

"Your boyfriend keeps standing on my feet."

"It's not my fault you've got big feet that are so easy to tread on."

"I do _not _have big feet!"

"Not going well then," sighed Monica, sitting down and handing Joey a coffee as Rachel and Chandler continued to bicker.

Joey sat back down and rubbed his eyes, "They've been arguing all evening."

Chandler stormed off the stage and to Joey, "Joe, I'm not even going to be in the show. Why do I have to help her with her audition?"

"Because I have to be here to watch and see if she's good enough. I can't be on stage helping her auditioning."

Chandler rolled his eyes and threw his script on the chair beside Monica. He took his coffee from her and left the room.

"He's the one with big feet," mumbled Rachel.

Joey rolled his head back on his shoulders and closed his eyes. When Chandler came back, Joey sat up suddenly and nudged Monica, "Why don't you get up there with Chandler? Do the next scene. Audition for my play."

"Uh," Monica half-laughed, "I don't think so, I'm not here to audition, I'm here to help you judge people."

"Oh, come on! We've got another fifteen minutes till the next auditionee comes, give it a go."

"Go on, Mon, let's see how bad you are," said Rachel, sitting on the edge of the stage, raising her eyebrows and biting her lip as she teased her friend. "What do you think, Chandler?"

Chandler looked up from his coffee and shrugged, "Monica can do what she wants, it's not up to me."

"Okay, but just to pass time," said Monica, picking up the script Chandler had thrown and getting on stage. "I'm not doing this alone, Chandler."

Chandler took Rachel's script and stood opposite Monica, who was busy skimming through the previous scene.

"Oh God," she mumbled, "Does he know how bad this is?" she whispered to Chandler.

"Unfortunately, he thinks it's a masterpiece. Just go with it," he whispered back.

Monica cleared her throat, "Oh, Flynn, why do you have to go?"

"I must go. It's my duty."

"But I don't want you to leave."

Chandler looked uncomfortably at Joey and read, "… Maybe we can do it one last time."

"Oh, Flynn, I… hold on a minute Joey, you can't write this sort of stuff in a school play!" exclaimed Monica, turning to Joey with a shocked face.

"Oh, come on, it's getting to the good bit!" said Joey, waving his hand for her to carry on.

"No, there's no way the lecturers are going to let you do this for the talent show."

"Rachel thought it was good."

"Rachel reads porn, of course she likes this stuff."

"Hey!" said Rachel with a finger pointed at Monica, "It is _not_ porn, it is _erotic fiction_."

"So, porn," said Chandler with a smirk.

"No!"

Joey laughed, "Chandler's mom-"

"Don't!" snapped Chandler.

Joey sank in his seat and stopped laughing.

Monica sensed the tension and quickly said, "Look, Joe, you can't write stuff like this for this talent show. You're going to have to come up with a different way to express the characters' love for one another."

"How?" huffed Joey.

Monica sat beside Rachel, "You could use words. Make them speak. You know, be more vocal rather than… physical."

"Yeah, I-I could do that," he chewed on his pencil. "But how?"

"Well," said Rachel, "Flynn and Eliza fought to be together, they went against their parents wishes and started dating, and now they are being separated because Flynn has to go to war, right? How do you think you would feel if you were her?"

"If I was a who?"

"If you were _Eliza_," clarified Monica, "if your boyfriend was being taken away from you to fight in a war."

Joey continued to look at them blankly.

"Okay," sighed Monica and gestured to Chandler, "If I found out Chandler had to go to war, I'd be devastated. I wouldn't want to just jump in his pants; that's no way to say goodbye. I'd tell him how much I cared about him, that I'd be here when he got back."

"Oh, oh, that's good stuff!" Joey waved his pencil around, almost dropping it as he looked around for his script.

Monica smiled shyly at Chandler. He returned it until someone walked into his back, making him almost spill his coffee.

"Woah, sorry there! Didn't see you!" said the girl that had walked into him as she grabbed his arms to stop herself from tripping over her own feet.

"That's okay," smiled Chandler.

"I'm here for the audition, are you Joey?"

"That's me," said Joey, walking up to the girl and shaking her hand, "How you doin'?"

"I'm… good," she said, looking cautiously at Chandler who laughed; Joey was flirting with the girl and she had only just walked through the doors.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Jenn."

"Nice to meet you, Jenn."

Chandler cringed at the way Joey eyed Jenn and looked over to Monica, who was nodding her head towards the door.

"Oh, Monica and I should probably get going, it's getting late."

Jenn looked disgruntled. Monica took Chandler's hand and waved everyone goodbye as they left.

"You okay?" Chandler asked her, "We seem to be walking abnormally fast."

"Huh? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just tired is all."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Chandler!"

Chandler was quick to realise he shouldn't keep questioning Monica and so let her drag him by his hand to her dorm room.

"… night."

"Chandler, wait… I'm sorry."

Monica pulled him to her by his sleeves and placed her hands on his shoulders, "I didn't mean to snap."

Chandler just nodded, hugging her briefly.

"Did you mean what you said earlier?" he asked.

"What?"

"About you being upset if I got drafter out or something."

"Of course, I would. It'd really hurt if I ever had to say goodbye to you."

Chandler moved closer to her and ran the back of his finger down her cheek, "Yeah?"

Monica responded by kissing him. When they broke apart, she played with his collar as she thought something over.

"Do you think Joey will give that girl the part?"

"Who? That Jenn? If she's good, I guess."

Monica slowly nodded, concentrating on looking at Chandler's chest rather than his face.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Monica stepped away from him and shook her head, "Nothing. Like I said, just tired."

"Do you want me to stay for a bit?"

"No, that's okay. You've got a busy day tomorrow; you need your sleep."

Monica entered her room, "I'll see you tomorrow night, though. You can stay over then if you want, I can ask Rachel if she'll go stay at Phoebe's for the night?"

"Sounds good," smiled Chandler and Monica quickly kissed him goodnight and shut her door.

Chandler knew there was something bothering her. He was upset that she wouldn't tell him what was wrong but he knew that if he pushed, she would only grow annoyed. He was about to walk away to his room until he saw Rachel marching towards him.

"Rach? What's up?"

"Nothing," she growled and slammed her door shut, leaving Chandler bewildered on the other side. He couldn't help but think of how weird girls were.


	8. Chapter 8: Her Haunted Past

"I really think he's going to give it to her!"

"Calm down, Rach."

Rachel had been pacing the room since she had stormed in ten minutes ago, her script crumpling in her fist as she did so.

"He's going to pick her. That Jenn girl, I just know he's going to! I want to be in the play!"

"Be a better actress" said Monica nonchalantly and lay on her bed. "… I did _not _mean that," she said when she felt Rachel glaring at her. "You're a great actress."

"Monica," Rachel sat on the edge of Monica's bed, "I… I feel like I know her from somewhere."

Monica lay still and tense, "Where?"

"See, I can't pinpoint it."

"Maybe you just saw her around campus."

Rachel hummed, "That could be it… Ugh, I just really don't want her to get the part."

"Rach, let it go," Monica almost laughed, though she was growing frustrated.

Rachel was silent for a moment and Monica felt relief when her bed shifted meaning Rachel had moved to her side of the room. "Do you think he'll give her the part?"

"That's not letting it go," said Monica in a sing-song voice, disguising her irritation.

"Do you?"

"… No. No, because you're a good enough actress for Joey's play. Trust me. Your acting skills are on par with his writing."

"Aww, thank you, Monica," smiled Rachel, not sensing Monica's tone.

Monica smiled to herself and rolled over. Her friend didn't need to be worried about Jenn. Monica herself, on the other hand, did.

/next evening/

His upset and annoyance at himself was spread all over his face. He couldn't disguise it. The interview had gone horribly wrong and he'd tripped over his own feet on the way out of the room, only helping to embarrass himself even further. When he'd arrived home, he had wanted nothing more than to just get into bed with a cold beer and watch a movie, but when he'd pulled of his tie and thrown it in the direction of his bed, it had instead hit Phoebe in the face.

"Phoebe, what-what the hell are you doing in my room?" his voice pitched in shock, irritation underlining it.

Phoebe threw his tie back at him. "Ross let me in, I wanted to talk to you. Got anything else to throw at me first?"

Chandler rolled his eyes, and gestured for her to carry on.

"I want us to write songs together."

"What?" his eyebrows shot up into his hairline, "What?" he laughed, "No, no, no, I-how do you know I write songs?"

"Monica told me you wrote one about her. I presume you've written more."

"I-"

"I liked your set back at the bar. Come on, it'll be fun!"

"I… can I think about it?"

Before Phoebe could answer, the door burst open and a frantic Rachel stood on the other side. Phoebe stood next to Chandler; her eyes wide at the chaotic sight of her friend's.

"He cast her," snarled a breathless Rachel.

"What?" said Phoebe and Chandler in unison.

"He cast her. That Jenn girl! Ugh!"

Phoebe and Chandler exchanged a look as Rachel stomped away, then followed her to her room. She'd thrown herself onto her bed, her hair sprawled out underneath her and her legs hanging over the edge.

"It upsets you that much?" asked Phoebe.

"Well, yeah," whined Rachel.

"… it's only a play for a talent show, Rach, not some movie up for an Oscar."

"That's not the point! The point is, Eliza gets to kiss Flynn, Flynn is Joey so therefore Jenn gets to kiss Joey and I _don't_."

"That's seriously why you tried out," laughed Joey, "to kiss Joey?"

Rachel shot him her 'well, yeah' look, but he continued to laugh.

"Rachel, Joey makes out with anyone and anything, if you just threw yourself at him at any moment of the day, he'd happily kiss you."

Chandler felt his stomach twist at what he had just said, as well as at the glare he was being given by Rachel.

"Again, not the point. I don't just want to throw myself at him. I want to _earn _that kiss."

Phoebe and Chandler exchanged another look.

"Ugh, look, it's my plan! It's all part of the plan, and she's ruined it!"

Chandler contained his laughter and said with a serious expression, "I could talk to Joey. Try get you in the play."

"Oh, that would be great, thanks!" cheered Rachel, grabbing his shoulders and beaming up at him, "Maybe you aren't so bad after all."

/that weekend/

"Chivalry isn't dead," chuckled Monica, as Chandler adjusted his coat around her shoulders.

"I'm not going to let you get all chilly now, am I," he smiled, rubbing his hands up and down her arms to warm her up.

"I just don't get it, it's sweltering during the day then freezing on a night," she shivered.

They continued their journey along the darkening street, Monica huddled for warmth against Chandler's side.

"Did you have fun tonight?"

"Sure did," she smiled up at him and he took this chance to kiss her forehead.

"Good," he said happily, stroking her hair.

Monica slipped her hands into his jacket pockets, her smile dropping when she felt a box. She pulled out the box of cigarettes and stopped dead in her tracks.

"Mon?"

Chandler followed her gaze, his eyes meeting the cigarettes and her shaking hand.

"You bought cigarettes?"

"What? No!"

"Then why are they in _your _pocket, Chandler?" she thrust the cigarettes into his hands.

Monica waited for him to answer, but he simply stood there looking dumbfounded.

"I swear, I did not put them in there. They aren't mine."

"Chandler, we got together under one condition; that you-"

"That I don't smoke, I know! They aren't mine! I've not touched a cigarette since I promised you that day."

Monica shook her head, not knowing whether to believe him or not.

"Monica-"

"I just want to go home," she practically whispered, "we can talk about this another day, just… just get me home."

/

Monica woke up the next morning with a pounding in her head. She placed the blame of this onto Chandler. He had caused her this upset. He'd lied to her about the cigarettes she'd found. Or at least Monica presumed he'd been lying. She couldn't understand how the cigarettes had gotten into his pocket if he hadn't put them there himself.

Though, she had felt bad after he had walked her home and waited outside of her room while she removed his jacket to give it back to him. He'd wanted a kiss goodnight, or at least a hug, but she had avoided his eyes and entered her room without a word.

"Oh, Monica, you're up," said Rachel, sauntering past Monica's bed and into Monica's wardrobe, "that Jenn girl was asking for you last night,"

"Uh… really?"

"Yeah," said Rachel, distantly, too focused on the clothes she was taking out of the wardrobe and holding up to her body, "she was being kind of sketchy. She was asking how you were, if you and Chandler were okay-"

"If me and Chandler were okay?"

"Yeah."

That's when it clicked.

"Do you think this shirt will make my boobs look bigger?" asked Rachel, but Monica was long gone. She was running down the stairs in her sweatpants and vest-top, her hair slightly messy.

"Monica, hey," smiled Jenn, once an angry and tired-looking Monica had finally found her. She was sat at a corner table in the cafeteria, reading a magazine and swirling a spoon in her coffee.

"It was you," said Monica, breathlessly, sitting opposite Jenn, "the cigarettes."

"Did you break up with your boyfriend then? Shame, he's really cute."

"Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" tormented Jenn.

"You know what. You knew what you were doing when you put them in his pocket, didn't you?"

"Yeah, well, you knew exactly what you were doing when you were beating the crap out of me!" snapped Jenn, "But that didn't stop you, did it?!"

* * *

Apologies if there was any errors in this. So, turns out Jenn is the girl Monica got in a fight with that time. This is going somewhere, slowly, I promise.


End file.
